US withdraws from 66 international organisations, treaties

By Samuel Ogunsona

The United States has announced its withdrawal from 66 international organizations and treaties, citing that the entities “operate contrary to U.S. national interests.”

The decision, announced by President Donald Trump, included withdrawal from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

According to the White House in information made available to Irohinoodua, the review of the organizations aim to determine which ones were contrary to the interests of the United States.

The list of departing organizations includes 35 non-UN entities, such as the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as well as 31 UN entities.

These entities encompass various areas, including climate change, peacebuilding, human rights, and health.

The withdrawal involves ceasing participation in and cutting funding for the affected entities. Critics argue that this decision may hinder global efforts to address climate change, public health, and development.

“The US withdrawal could hinder global efforts to curb greenhouse gases because it gives other nations the excuse to delay their own actions and commitments,” said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson

The affected UN entities include the UN Democracy Fund, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict. Non-UN organizations from which the US is withdrawing include the International Renewable Energy Agency, the International Solar Alliance, and the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact.