Trump Signs Executive Order Withdrawing US From 66 International Organisations 

The affected organisations operate across a wide range of areas, including climate change, conservation, counterterrorism, human rights, gender equality and global development.

Among the UN-related bodies the United States is set to withdraw from are the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Women, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UN-Habitat and the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

Also affected are the offices of the UN Secretary-General’s special representatives on Children in Armed Conflict and on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Other organisations listed in the order include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.

The directive also covers regional and technical bodies such as the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), the Colombo Plan Council and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU).

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that some of the institutions were pursuing agendas that run counter to American interests.

He added that several of the targeted organisations focus on climate, labour, migration and social policies that the administration has criticised as “woke.”

The latest move follows earlier decisions by the Trump administration to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO, as well as cuts in funding to UN agencies, including the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.

Last year, the United States also sharply reduced foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), prompting several UN bodies to scale back operations, with significant effects on developing countries and global public health programmes.

Trump’s withdrawal from major climate-related institutions comes as his administration pushes for expanded fossil fuel production at home, while continuing to dismiss climate change and criticise renewable energy initiatives.

On Tuesday, the president reiterated his support for fossil fuels, claiming on Truth Social that Venezuela would be “turning over” between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, days after U.S. forces launched an operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of its leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Source: DW