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1h ago

UNESCO Board Votes on Next Director

The winner faces a funding gap triggered by the U.S. exit planned for 2026.

FILE - The UNESCO logo hangs from a podium in Paris, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)
UNESCO logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Egypt's Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany speaks during the presentation of a new discovery at Tuna el-Gebel archaeological site in Minya Governorate, Egypt, February 2, 2019. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Khaled El-Enany oversaw antiquities and later tourism for Egypt

Overview

  • UNESCO’s 58‑member executive board is holding a secret ballot on Monday to recommend a new director-general, with a final vote by the general assembly due in November.
  • The race pits Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany, a former tourism and antiquities minister, against Édouard Firmin Matoko of the Republic of Congo, a veteran UNESCO official.
  • El-Enany is widely viewed as the favourite after building regional backing, and supporters expect a focus on the agency’s cultural programs.
  • Matoko argues for depoliticization and budgetary rigor, saying he is prepared to cut jobs or programs and wants the agency to prioritize technical solutions.
  • The United States’ planned withdrawal at the end of 2026 will remove roughly 8% of UNESCO’s budget, and both candidates propose tapping private donors and BRICS partners to help fill the gap.