U.S. President Joe Biden is anticipated to appoint senior aide Courtney O’Donnell to grow to be the nation’s consultant on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The U.S. not too long ago rejoined UNESCO after a five-year hiatus initiated by Biden’s fast predecessor within the White House, Donald Trump.
The Democratic president’s option to grow to be the U.S. everlasting consultant to the Paris-based UNESCO, with the rank of ambassador, is longtime aide O’Donnell, in response to a White House official, who spoke Monday on the situation of anonymity to debate the nomination earlier than a proper announcement.
O’Donnell presently wears two hats: She’s a senior adviser in Harris’ workplace and performing chief of employees for Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and lends her experience to a variety of nationwide and world points, together with gender fairness and countering prejudice towards Jews, a prime difficulty for Emhoff, who’s Jewish.
O’Donnell additionally was communications director for Jill Biden, when she was second woman throughout Joe Biden’s vice presidency when Barack Obama was president. O’Donnell helped Jill Biden elevate consciousness and help for U.S. navy households and promote group faculties.
She has in depth expertise in creating world partnerships, public affairs and strategic communications, having held senior roles in two presidential administrations, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, nationwide political campaigns and the non-public sector, in response to her official bio.
O’Donnell most not too long ago oversaw world partnerships at Airbnb.
Former White House chief of employees Ron Klain stated O’Donnell is trusted by colleagues worldwide.
“This is a incredible decide and she’s going to do a incredible job at UNESCO,” he stated in a press release.
Cathy Russell labored with O’Donnell within the second woman’s workplace and stated she is expert at creating world partnerships, creating social influence campaigns and offering strategic counsel on a variety of points.
“Everyone who is aware of Courtney is aware of she is dedicated to the worth of world engagement and strengthening American management world wide,” Russell stated.
The Senate should vote on O’Donnell’s nomination.
The first woman attended a ceremony in late July at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the place the U.S. flag was raised to mark Washington’s official reentry into the U.N. company after the absence initiated by Trump, a Republican. She spoke concerning the significance of American management in preserving cultural heritage and empowering training and science throughout the globe.
The United States introduced its intention to rejoin UNESCO in June, and the group’s 193 member states voted in July to approve the U.S. reentry. The ceremony formally signified the U.S. turning into the 194th member – and flag proprietor – of the company.
The U.S. choice to return was based mostly primarily on considerations that China has crammed a management hole since Washington withdrew, underscoring the broader geopolitical dynamics at play, notably the rising affect of China in worldwide establishments.
The U.S. exit from UNESCO in 2017 cited an alleged anti-Israel bias inside the group. The choice adopted a 2011 transfer by UNESCO to incorporate Palestine as a member state, which led the U.S. and Israel to stop financing the company. The U.S. withdrawal turned official in 2018.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
