El-Enany won 55 out of 57 votes in the UNESCO Executive Board elections, the largest winning margin in the organization’s history, defeating Firmin Edouard Matoko of the Republic of Congo.
“This well-deserved triumph embodies Egypt’s stature as a great civilization and reaffirms the ability of its sons and daughters to assume leading roles on the international stage,” the President stated on Monday, noting that the result reflects “the world’s confidence in Egypt’s competent professionals who combine knowledge, experience, and dedication.”
He added that El-Enany’s success “stands as a source of pride for the Arab and African peoples,” expressing confidence that he “will advance cultural dialogue and safeguard human heritage in a way that befits Egypt’s ancient civilization and all great civilizations of humanity.”
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also congratulated El-Sisi, the Egyptian people, and the Arab and African nations, calling El-Enany’s victory a “unique and historic achievement.”
The vote coincided with Egypt’s October War Victory Day, marking what officials described as a symbolic moment of national pride.
El-Enany, Egypt’s former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, becomes the first Egyptian and Arab, and only the second African, to hold UNESCO’s top post.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the outcome reflects growing international confidence in Egypt’s foreign policy and its diplomatic influence under President El-Sisi’s leadership.
The record-breaking result followed a 30-month diplomatic campaign led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and coordinated through Egypt’s embassies and UNESCO’s permanent mission in Paris. The campaign secured wide support from the Arab League, the African Union (AU), and countries across all regional groups.
Between June 2023 and September 2025, Egypt conducted outreach to 65 countries through high-level meetings, civil society engagement, and media efforts to promote El-Enany’s vision for strengthening UNESCO’s role in education, heritage preservation, and cultural dialogue.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who headed Egypt’s delegation to the Executive Board session, congratulated El-Sisi, the Egyptian people, and El-Enany, describing the win as “a recognition of the Arab and African worlds’ enduring cultural and intellectual contributions over millennia.”
He thanked the Arab League, the AU, and all nations that supported Egypt’s candidate, adding that the result places “a great responsibility on Egypt to continue fostering peace, education, and intercultural understanding through UNESCO’s mission.”
El-Enany’s election adds to Egypt’s record of leadership in international organizations, including senior roles in the United Nations (UN), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), reinforcing Cairo’s position as a key player in global diplomacy and heritage preservation.
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