Egypt's Khaled el-Enany to become first Arab to chair UNESCO
Egyptologist Khaled el-Enany has been chosen as the first ever Arab to head of UNESCO, following a decisive vote on Monday by the body's executive board.
Khaled el-Enany, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt and prospective head of UNESCO [Joel Saget/AFP via Getty]
Egyptologist Khaled el-Enany has been chosen as the first Arab to head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) since its founding in 1945.
Egypt's el-Enany won the position following a 55-2 vote in his favour on Monday evening at UNESCO’s executive board elections in Paris. 58 of UNESCO’s 194 member states sit on the executive board.
The former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities beat Firmin Edouard Matoko, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, UNESCO’s current Assistant Director-General for External Relations.
The result will be put to a deciding vote by all UNESCO member states at UNESCO's General Conference on 6 November for formal ratification.
El-Enany's nomination comes at a sensitive time for UNESCO, following the United States' withdrawal from the organisation earlier this year for the third time.
The move deprived the body of around 8 percent of its annual budget and triggered a financial crisis which its administrators fear could negatively affect its global influence and cultural mission.
Prior to Monday's vote, el-Enany said his top priority would be "restoring UNESCO's impact on people's lives and strengthening its presence in education, culture, heritage protection, and press freedom."
He added that he planned to diversify the organisation's funding sources "through partnerships with the private sector, debt-swap initiatives, and increased voluntary contributions from member states."
El-Enany's election would be regarded as a historic milestone for Arab representation within UNESCO, as no one from the Arab world has ever held the organisation's top post.
He would also be the second African to lead UNESCO, following Senegal's Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow who held the position from 1974–1987.
His appointment is viewed as an opportunity to reshape the cultural role of the Arabs on the international stage at a time when the organisation has faced years of criticism over politicisation, impartiality, and a lack of balance, culturally and geographically.
Khaled Ahmed el-Enany was born on March 14, 1971, in Giza Governorate, Egypt. He is an Egyptologist and university professor who received his PhD in Egyptology from Paul Valéry University in Montpellier, France, in 2001.
He has taught at Helwan University and several other universities and supervised research projects focused on heritage and antiquities.
He also served as Director-General of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization before becoming Minister of Antiquities in 2016, and later Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in 2019 after the two ministries were merged.
During his tenure, he oversaw the official inauguration of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in 2021, and the "Pharaohs' Golden Parade" – an event coinciding with the museum's inauguration which was covered by several major international news agencies.
This saw 22 ancient Egyptian mummies transported from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat.
El-Enany's involvement in the Pharaohs' Golden Parade drew international praise, but domestic critics questioned its high cost and viewed the heavy media coverage as being part of a bid to bolster the government's image.
These factors saw el-Enany gain prominence as an Egyptian cultural figure with close ties to the Egyptian authorities.
UNESCO, founded in 1945 and headquartered in Paris, is dedicated to promoting international cooperation in education, science, and culture.
There are over 150 Arab sites on the World Heritage List, in addition to growing regional initiatives in education and digital culture.
This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
[SRC] https://www.newarab.com/news/egypts-khaled-el-enany-become-first-arab-chair-unesco?amp
