Khaled El-Enany, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt and candidate to become the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) poses during a photo session in Paris. AFP
As head of Egypt’s delegation to the meetings of the organization’s Executive Board, Abdelatty met with the Permanent Delegates of Türkiye, Brazil, Bangladesh, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, and the United Arab Emirates to UNESCO.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meetings were part of Cairo’s intensive campaign to rally international support for El-Enany, Egypt’s nominee and a former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, whose candidacy has been widely praised for its professionalism, experience, and commitment to UNESCO’s mission.
The Permanent Delegates expressed appreciation for El-Enany’s extensive background in heritage preservation and cultural diplomacy, describing him as a candidate of “high competence and credibility” capable of advancing the organization’s goals at a time of growing global challenges in education, science, and culture.
Abdelatty’s consultations in Paris mark the culmination of Egypt’s months-long outreach to UNESCO member states aimed at strengthening consensus around its nominee and reaffirming Egypt’s historical role as a founding member and active contributor to the organization’s work.
The UNESCO Executive Board is set to convene on Monday to elect the organization’s next Director-General, a vote closely watched across member states as the agency faces calls for reform and renewed focus on global education and cultural preservation.
For the first time in the history of UNESCO, two African candidates will go head-to-head for the organization’s top post.
The high-stakes vote pits Egypt’s El-Enany against Congolese diplomat Firmin Edouard Matoko, a long-serving UNESCO official.
The 58-member Executive Board, empowered to recommend a single candidate to the General Conference for ratification, will cast its ballots following months of intense diplomatic maneuvering and coalition-building.
El-Enany, widely regarded as the frontrunner, enters the vote buoyed by strong endorsements from the African Union, the Arab League, and several European nations — notably France, which hosts UNESCO’s headquarters.
His Congolese rival, Matoko, however, remains a respected insider with deep institutional experience, making this contest one of the most competitive in recent memory.
This marks Egypt’s third bid for UNESCO’s top job in the 21st century.
In 2017, former minister Moushira Khattab came within a few votes of victory before losing to outgoing Director-General Audrey Azoulay of France.
Earlier, in 2009, Farouk Hosni, then Minister of Culture, narrowly lost to Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, who went on to become UNESCO’s first female and first Eastern European Director-General.
Short link: