UNESCO Executive Board elects Egyptian Minister El-Anani as New Director-General

The Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has elected Egyptian Minister Khaled El-Anani as the organization’s new Director-General, Reuters reported.

The proposal will now be submitted for approval by UNESCO’s 194 member states in November.

El-Anani was elected by the UNESCO Executive Board with 55 votes in favor and two against, while the United States abstained from voting.

The other candidate for the position was Édouard Firmin Matoko (69) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following his election, the newly appointed Director-General Khaled El-Anani expressed gratitude to the League of Arab States for its support, as well as to his continent—Africa—and to the African Union, which endorsed his candidacy three times, along with all the countries that supported and placed their trust in him.

“Your trust is an honor I will never take for granted. I also wish to acknowledge those who did not vote for me — I promise to work hand in hand with every member state, without distinction, without exclusion, and without any geographical or cultural agenda,” said El-Anani.

He emphasized that he would serve UNESCO as an organization for all people — inclusive, fair, and free of discrimination.

El-Anani also thanked Firmin Matoko, the other candidate for the position, as well as his Egyptian team for their dedication to a cause they passionately believed in.

“This campaign was never a solo journey. It was a collective effort built on transparency, inclusiveness, and dialogue. Over the past period, I had the honor of visiting 65 countries — from the Cook Islands to the Caribbean, from Mexico to every corner of the world. Everywhere I went, I felt the same hope and conviction: the world needs UNESCO, now more than ever,” El-Anani stated.

He announced that, if his election is confirmed in November, he will dedicate his first 100 days in office to close cooperation with all member states to jointly create a roadmap for a modern, forward-looking UNESCO — a UNESCO for all, for peace, and for unity.

“Thank you for your trust, your attention, and the warm welcome I have received across the world. I look forward — with great enthusiasm — to working with each of you to shape the future of this remarkable organization,” El-Anani added.

Serbia has also officially supported the candidacy of the Egyptian minister for UNESCO Director-General.

Khaled El-Anani recently paid an official visit to Belgrade, where he was hosted by Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Đurić.

During the meeting, Minister Đurić stated that Serbia attaches great importance to the role and mandate of the UNESCO Director-General, as well as to the organization itself, describing it as one of the key pillars of the multilateral system. He also warned that any consideration of Kosovo’s potential membership in UNESCO would be absolutely unacceptable for Serbia, as it would deepen divisions among member states, politicize cultural heritage, and seriously undermine the credibility of the organization itself.