Thursday, 14th November 2024

‘Resounding victory’ for Grenada at UNESCO General Assembly

Country now has seat on executive board

Friday, 10th November 2017

Last updated: November 10, 2017 at 14:26 pm

The member states of UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – has elected Grenada to its executive board.

UNESCO is responsible for coordinating international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication and is an important partner for Grenada’s development.

During a meeting of the UNESCO General Assembly in Paris on Wednesday, the 131 nations who make up the organisation welcomed the south-eastern Caribbean nation.

The ti-island state joins 26 other countries elected to serve on the executive board.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Grenada, the decision “demonstrated confidence in Grenada’s leadership”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assisted in the bid for this important seat by campaigning and arguing the merits of Grenada’s candidacy through diplomatic channels.

As a result, Grenada will serve on the Executive Board until 2021.

A local UNESCO Secretariat is housed at the Ministry of Education.

It has been a turbulent year for the UN body.

Last month, President Trump pulled the USA out of the UNESCO, citing “anti-Israel bias”.

But according to UNESCO documents, America owed more than US$500 million to the organisation and risked losing its right to vote.