France regrets US decision to withdraw from UNESCO: official

PARIS - France, as the host country and a founding member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), regrets the US decision to quit UNESCO, the spokesperson of the country's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

France supports UNESCO with regard to access to education for all, the protection of endangered heritage, the preservation of the oceans, the responsible development of artificial intelligence, and the fight against anti-Semitism and hate speech, the spokesperson said in a press release.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed on his X account France's "unwavering support" for UNESCO. He called UNESCO a "universal guardian of science, the ocean, education, culture, and world heritage".

On Tuesday, the United States announced its decision to pull out of UNESCO in December 2026.

According to a statement by the US State Department, the withdrawal was due to what Washington saw as the UN cultural agency's policy to "advance divisive social and cultural causes" over the Israel-Palestine conflicts.

In response, Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, expressed regret over the US decision, calling it inconsistent with the fundamental principles of multilateralism.

She rejected the stated reasons for the withdrawal, emphasizing that UNESCO remains a "rare forum for building consensus through concrete, action-oriented multilateralism".

The US exit will take effect at the end of December 2026. This will be the third time that Washington has left UNESCO, and the second time during the administration under Donald Trump.