Egypt’s Nominee for UNESCO Director-General, Foreign Minister Discuss Campaign Progress

On December 21, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with Dr. Khaled El-Anany, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Egypt’s official nominee for the position of Director-General of UNESCO.

The meeting focused on the latest developments in Egypt’s campaign for this prestigious role. Also in attendance was Minister Plenipotentiary Wael Abdel Wahab, Campaign Director.

In a statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ambassador Tamim Khlaaf shared that the meeting discussed the future strategy for the nomination campaign, as well as the growing international support for Egypt’s bid.

Recently, France and Brazil officially endorsed El-Anany’s candidacy, joining numerous other nations that have expressed their backing.

The Egyptian nomination was previously endorsed by the African Union's Executive Council during its 44th session in February and at the 33rd Arab Summit in May.

El-Anany also reviewed the results of recent diplomatic visits organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These visits, which took place across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa, allowed El-Anany to engage with high-level officials and understand the priorities of various countries regarding UNESCO’s work.

He also shared his vision for the organization, which he plans to formally present in March 2025, ahead of the UNESCO elections set for October 2025.

The spokesperson further reported that El-Anany expressed his gratitude to all Egyptian state agencies, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, and the Egyptian embassies for their continued support of the nomination.

In closing, the foreign minister thanked the campaign team and emphasized the importance of maintaining intensive communication with other nations to secure further international support.

He reiterated Egypt’s rightful claim to this esteemed position, given the country’s significant regional and international standing, as well as its pivotal role in the establishment of UNESCO in the 1940s.