Paris — Egyptologist Khaled El-Enany secured overwhelming backing from UNESCO’s executive board on Monday, winning a 55–2 vote over Republic of Congo’s Édouard Firmin Matoko to become the organization’s next director-general, pending ratification by the full membership in November.
If confirmed by UNESCO’s 194-member General Assembly in Uzbekistan, El-Enany would be the first chief from an Arab nation and only the second from Africa to lead the UN’s cultural and scientific agency. He would succeed France’s Audrey Azoulay, who is completing two four-year terms.
The United States did not take part in Monday’s ballot. Washington announced in June that it would leave UNESCO at the end of next year, accusing the body of bias against Israel. El-Enany has said he will work to rebuild consensus and try to bring the U.S. back; America currently provides about 8% of UNESCO’s funding.
El-Enany, 54, served as Egypt’s minister of antiquities and later tourism from 2016 to 2022 under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, overseeing major museum and heritage projects and a high-profile push to boost cultural tourism. Trained as an archaeologist, he has emphasized safeguarding heritage in conflict zones, expanding access to education and science, and strengthening protections for cultural property amid looting and climate risks.
The executive board’s endorsement sets the stage for a diplomatic push ahead of the General Assembly session, where member states traditionally ratify the board’s nominee. If approved, El-Enany will take the helm as UNESCO navigates geopolitical fractures, funding volatility and a crowded mandate that spans education, culture, science, communications, and the management of World Heritage sites.
Azoulay’s tenure saw efforts to stabilize finances and mediate political rifts inside the agency. El-Enany’s prospective leadership will be tested early by budget pressures linked to any major donor departures and by demands for a stronger role in protecting cultural heritage threatened by war, trafficking and environmental change.
