Former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled El-Enany, has been elected as the new Director-General of UNESCO, securing a decisive victory on Monday.
El-Enany, 54, won 55 of 58 votes in a secret ballot, defeating Édouard Firmin Matoko of the Republic of Congo, who received two votes. The United States abstained, marking its second major disengagement from the agency amid ongoing criticism of UNESCO’s ideological direction.
His appointment will be formally ratified by UNESCO’s 194 member states on November 6, paving the way for a four-year term beginning in 2026.
El-Enany, who launched his campaign in April 2023, steadily built a coalition of regional and international support, positioning himself as a bridge-builder between Africa, the Arab world, and the global cultural community.
Outgoing Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who served two terms, is credited with diversifying the organisation’s funding base, though the U.S. still contributes about 8% of UNESCO’s budget — a contribution expected to lapse by 2026 following Washington’s renewed disengagement.
The White House, under former President Donald Trump, had previously accused UNESCO of advancing “woke, divisive cultural and social causes,” a stance that echoes current U.S. scepticism toward the body.
Founded after World War II, UNESCO promotes global peace through cooperation in education, science, and culture, and oversees the protection of World Heritage Sites.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty hailed El-Enany’s election as a recognition of Egypt’s “deep-rooted civilisation and cultural influence,” saying his leadership marks “a proud moment for the Arab and African worlds.”
However, some Egyptian observers have voiced concerns over El-Enany’s record, citing heritage conservation challenges during his ministerial tenure, particularly in Cairo and the Sinai Peninsula.
El-Enany takes over as UNESCO faces growing geopolitical tensions and financial uncertainty, making his leadership pivotal to shaping the agency’s direction in the years ahead.
Source:Africa Publicity
