MOSCOW, November 18 (Sputnik) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to close its office in Moscow, Russia’s envoy to the global organization told Sputnik news agency Tuesday.
"UNESCO is currently in a difficult financial situation so the decision was made to close the office in Moscow now," Eleonora Mitrofanova said answering Sputnik's question on the reported closure of the organization's office in Moscow.
She emphasized that the decision to gradually scale down the presence of UN project support offices in Russia was taken back in the 2000s when Russia itself became a donor to UN programs and received the net contributing country status.
"The decision to close all UN and other international organizations' offices in Moscow was taken as early as in the mid-2000s… We used to have [an office] of the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, and other donor organizations that allocated money for various projects. As soon as Russia became a donor, it was decided to close [their offices] in Moscow," Mitrofanova said, adding this was not a result of current political tensions.
Mitrofanova said the office would be shut down in the second half of 2015. She added the organization was now working to "expand the activity" of its Institute for Information Technologies in Moscow, and suggested its director might also be "charged with the task of representing UNESCO in Russia, in addition to his formal duties".
The UNESCO envoy said, however, the organization would not leave the staff "to their fate", adding that their job opportunities were yet to be discussed.
UNESCO was established on November 16, 1945. Its mission is to contribute to global peace and security by promoting cooperation among the nations through education, science and culture, as well as to foster and maintain intellectual solidarity. The organization currently has 195 members.
