President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of the United States of America from 31 UN organisations, and 35 other international organisations.

The 66 organisations include major forums focused on achieving global peace, improving security, advancing democracy, promoting education and literacy, and protecting the climate.

In a presidential memorandum shared by the White House on Wednesday evening, Mr Trump said that his decision came after a review of which “organisations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States”.

“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct: Section 1.  Purpose.  (a)  On February 4, 2025, I issued Executive Order 14199 (Withdrawing the United States from and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organizations and Reviewing United States Support to All International Organizations),” the memorandum read in part.

He noted that the executive order directed the secretary of state to conduct a review of all international intergovernmental organisations of which the U.S. is a member and provides any type of funding or other support, and all conventions and treaties to which the American nation is a party, to determine which organisations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States.  

The organisations include Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — Economic Commission for Africa, ECOSOC — Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, ECOSOC — Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, International Law Commission, International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, International Trade Centre, Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, Peacebuilding Commission, Peacebuilding Fund, and Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

Others are UN Alliance of Civilizations, UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries, UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Democracy Fund, UN Energy, UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Human Settlements Programme, UN Institute for Training and Research, UN Oceans, UN Population Fund, UN Register of Conventional Arms, UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, UN System Staff College, UN Water, and UN University.

Mr Trump also ordered U.S. withdrawal from 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, Colombo Plan Council, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Education Cannot Wait, European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories, Freedom Online Coalition, Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, Global Counterterrorism Forum, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, Global Forum on Migration and Development, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, International Cotton Advisory Committee, and International Development Law Organisation.

The International Energy Forum, International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, International Renewable Energy Agency, International Solar Alliance, International Tropical Timber Organization, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Pan American Institute of Geography and History, Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, Regional Cooperation Council, Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, Science and Technology Center in Ukraine, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, and Venice Commission of the Council of Europe are also affected.