Full List: United States Under Trump Withdraws from 66 International Organisations
- The United States has withdrawn from 66 international organisations, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, sparking global alarm
- Climate experts and former officials warned the move could undermine efforts to tackle environmental crises and weaken international resolve
- Allies and agencies voiced concern that Washington’s retreat may leave gaps in funding, leadership and coordination at a critical time
The United States announced its withdrawal from 66 international organisations, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from climate experts and former officials.
According to Reuters, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 7 suspending U.S. support for dozens of agencies and commissions, many of them linked to the United Nations.
Source: Twitter
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision, saying:
“The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity.”
Climate change treaty exit criticised
The withdrawal from the UNFCCC, the treaty underpinning the Paris climate agreement, has been singled out as particularly damaging. Gina McCarthy, former White House National Climate Adviser, described the move as “shortsighted, embarrassing, and a foolish decision.”
She added:
“This Administration is forfeiting our country’s ability to influence trillions of dollars in investments, policies, and decisions that would have advanced our economy and protected us from costly disasters wreaking havoc on our country.”
Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson warned that the U.S. exit could weaken international resolve.
“The U.S. withdrawal could hinder global efforts to curb greenhouse gases because it gives other nations the excuse to delay their own actions and commitments,” he said.
Mainstream scientists have repeatedly linked climate change to rising instances of extreme weather, including floods, droughts, wildfires and dangerous heatwaves. Observers argued that meaningful progress would be difficult without cooperation from the U.S., one of the world’s largest emitters.
See the X post below:
Other organisations affected
Other organisations affected by the decision included the U.N. Population Fund, the Carbon Free Energy Compact, the United Nations University and the International Tropical Timber Organization. Critics said the retreat reflected a broader pattern of disengagement, with Washington previously suspending support for the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the U.N. Human Rights Council.
Shift in US multilateralism approach
Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group said the move reflected a new approach to multilateralism. “I think what we’re seeing is the crystallisation of the U.S. approach to multilateralism, which is ‘my way or the highway.’ It’s a very clear vision of wanting international cooperation on Washington’s own terms,” he explained.
The decision has sparked concern among allies and international agencies, who warned that the absence of U.S. participation could leave gaps in funding, leadership and global coordination at a time when climate and environmental challenges demand collective action.
Here is the full list of the 66 international organisations the United States has announced it will leave:
Non-U.N. organisations
1. 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact
2. Colombo Plan Council
3. Commission for Environmental Cooperation
4. Education Cannot Wait
5. European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats
6. Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories
7. Freedom Online Coalition
8. Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund
9. Global Counterterrorism Forum
10. Global Forum on Cyber Expertise
11. Global Forum on Migration and Development
12. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research
13. Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development
14. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
15. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
16. International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property
17. International Cotton Advisory Committee
18. International Development Law Organization
19. International Energy Forum
20. International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies
21. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
22. International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law
23. International Lead and Zinc Study Group
24. International Renewable Energy Agency
25. International Solar Alliance
26. International Tropical Timber Organization
27. International Union for Conservation of Nature
28. Pan American Institute of Geography and History
29. Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation
30. Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia
31. Regional Cooperation Council
32. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century
33. Science and Technology Center in Ukraine
34. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
35. Venice Commission of the Council of Europe
United Nations organisations
36. Department of Economic and Social Affairs
37. U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — Economic Commission for Africa
38. ECOSOC — Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
39. ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
40. ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
41. International Law Commission
42. International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
43. International Trade Centre
44. Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
45. Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict
46. Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
47. Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children
48. Peacebuilding Commission
49. Peacebuilding Fund
50. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
51. U.N. Alliance of Civilizations
52. U.N. Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
53. U.N. Conference on Trade and Development
54. U.N. Democracy Fund
55. U.N. Energy
56. U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
57. U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change
58. U.N. Human Settlements Programme
59. U.N. Institute for Training and Research
60. U.N. Oceans
61. U.N. Population Fund
62. U.N. Register of Conventional Arms
63. U.N. System Chief Executives Board for Coordination
64. U.N. System Staff College
65. U.N. Water
66. U.N. University
Source: Getty Images
Trump repeats threat to capture another country
Legit.ng earlier reported that Donald Trump again proposed annexing Greenland, sparking sharp responses from Danish leaders who urged him to stop making threats over the island. Speaking to reporters, the US president said, "we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security".
According to BBC, Trump repeatedly raised the idea of the semi-autonomous Danish territory becoming part of the United States, citing its strategic location for defence and its mineral wealth.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
