Lunes 12 de enero del 2026

In a January 7 presidential memorandum, the White House announced it had determined that “it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to” 66 international organizations and agreements and ordered relevant U.S. agencies to withdraw from them immediately.

The move follows a review ordered 11 months ago in an executive order. The affected organizations include 31 UN bodies and 35 other organizations. Chamber staff have tracked the process at the State Department, White House, and elsewhere.

Sticking with Standard Setters: The outcome is mostly consistent with business advocacy in favor of preserving U.S. membership in organizations involved in standard setting and commercial dispute resolution (e.g., UNCITRAL, the World Customs Organization, and the International Maritime Organization). To further illustrate, the memorandum announces U.S. withdrawal from all the UN regional economic commissions except the UN Economic Commission for Europe, which sets some electric vehicle standards.

Further, the United States appears not to be withdrawing from any bodies that collect commercially valuable data on sectors and regions, e.g., the UN Environment Programme. The administration has preserved its seat in international financial institutions such as the International Finance Corporation.

Exiting Environmental Entities: Among the more prominent entities from which the United States is withdrawing are the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Chamber’s Global Energy Institute is assessing the implications of the move in light of ongoing business engagement in the UNFCCC’s annual Conference of Parties (COP), the next of which is scheduled to be held in Türkiye late this year. In a separate move, the U.S. Treasury announced on January 8 that the United States will also withdraw from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The announced U.S. withdrawal from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature may have a long-term deleterious impact. This well-regarded organization brings together policymakers, scientists, and companies from almost every country and plays an important role in science-based and data-driven regulations. Absent U.S. officials, the organization may drift away from its useful role. The Chamber is assessing the implications of this move.

The U.S. withdrawal from numerous UN agencies should not directly impact procurement opportunities for U.S. companies as the U.S. remains a UN member, despite being in arrears on several fronts.

The review of U.S. membership in international organizations and agreements is continuing. Chamber members are encouraged to share intelligence and concerns relating to these moves