PARIS: An Egyptian antiquities professor and ex-tourism minister is facing off against a Congolese economist who promoted schooling in refugee camps in a race to become the new director of UNESCO.
Whoever wins will inherit a world body reeling from the Trump administration’s recent decision to pull the United States out of UNESCO, portending a big budget shortfall at the agency best known for its World Heritage sites around the globe.
UNESCO’s executive board begins voting Monday to recommend either Khaled el-Enany or Firmin Édouard Matoko for the position of director-general. The decision by the board, which represents 58 of the agency’s 194 member states, is expected to be finalized by UNESCO’s general assembly next month.
Noble ambitions and persistent problems
In addition to choosing and protecting World Heritage sites and traditions, the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization works to ensure education for girls, promotes Holocaust awareness and funds scientific research in developing countries, among other activities. Outgoing UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay notably led a high-profile effort to rebuild the ancient Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated under the Daesh group.
UNESCO has also long been plagued by accusations of mismanagement and waste.
Trump argues that the agency, which voted in 2011 to admit Palestine as a member, is too politicized and anti-Israel. US supporters of UNESCO, meanwhile, say withdrawing Washington’s support allows China to play an outsized role in the world body.
Meanwhile the vote comes at a time when the whole 80-year-old UN system is facing financial challenges and deepening divisions over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Frontrunner wants to be UNESCO’s first Arab leader
El-Enany worked as a tour guide through ancient Egyptian sites, earned a doctorate in France and served as Egypt’s tourism minister and antiquities minister.
Arab countries have long wanted to lead UNESCO, and el-Enany is seen as having a good chance of making that happen. The African Union and Arab League are among those that have expressed support for his bid.
He would be expected to focus on UNESCO’s cultural programs if chosen, and has pledged to continue UNESCO’s work to fight antisemitism and religious intolerance. Israel left UNESCO at the end of 2018.
While he has no UN experience, his backers say that could help him make tough reform decisions.
Challenger wants to calm tensions
Republic of Congo’s candidate Firmin Matoko, 69, spent most of his career working for UNESCO, including stints in Rwanda soon after the genocide, during peace negotiations in El Salvador and beyond.
He says he wants UNESCO to move away from political tensions and focus on technical solutions. He described helping train teachers at a refugee camp in Somalia in the 1990s, and meeting one of them years later after she became education minister. That, he says, is one reason UNESCO matters.
He says he is ready to cut jobs or programs if needed, and pledges “budgetary rigor.”
Like el-Enany, he wants to tap more private sector money to make up for the loss of US and other funding, notably from BRICS countries.
At the same time, he said, “I will do everything so that the United States comes back, while taking into account what they reproach UNESCO for.”
UNESCO is choosing a new director who will face a big funding shortage after US exit
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UNESCO is choosing a new director who will face a big funding shortage after US exit
- UNESCO’s executive board starts voting Monday to recommend either Khaled el-Anany or Firmin Édouard Matoko for the position
- El-Enany is supported by the African Union and Arab League, is expected to focus on cultural programs
Jordan, Germany committed to two-state solution
- Chancellor Merz calls for more humanitarian aid to flow into the war-torn Gaza Strip
AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah has warned of “the danger of continued Israeli escalations in the West Bank,” which Israel has occupied since 1967.
King Abdullah received German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his brief stopover in Jordan on Saturday.
Their discussions in Aqaba focused mainly on the peace process in Israel and the Palestinian territories, AFP reported.
Merz called for more humanitarian aid to flow into the Gaza Strip and for Hamas fighters to lay down their weapons, adding that both Jordan and Germany are committed to a negotiated two-state solution.
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Jordan’s royal palace said in a statement that King Abdullah underlined ‘the need to commit to implementing all stages of the agreement to end the war and deliver humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip.’
“There can be no place for terrorism and antisemitism in this shared future,” Merz said.
Jordan’s royal palace said in a statement that King Abdullah had underlined “the need to commit to implementing all stages of the agreement to end the war and deliver humanitarian aid to all areas of the strip.”
The meeting discussed ways to strengthen the partnership between Jordan and Germany, focusing on the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, Jordanian news agency Petra reported.
King Abdullah emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in various domains, including the economic and defense sectors, and continuing to coordinate in support of efforts to achieve stability in the region, according to Petra.
The leaders highlighted the need to pursue a “political horizon to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.”
Chancellor Merz expressed Germany’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Jordan in various sectors.
The Syrian Arab Republic’s Sana news agency reported that the two leaders discussed ways to support Syria and Lebanon in maintaining their security, stability, and sovereignty.
They stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty of regional countries and reviewed key developments in the Middle East.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi had previously affirmed that Jordan continues to support Syria after years of war and destruction, expressing hope for a stable and secure future that ensures Syria’s territorial unity, Sana added.
King Abdullah separately met with Kaja Kallas, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and European Commission vice president on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the strategic and comprehensive partnership between Jordan and the EU.
The meeting at Basman Palace covered the importance of building on available economic opportunities, particularly through the Jordan-EU Summit, scheduled to be held in Amman in January 2026, as well as the joint economic forum scheduled for next year, with participation from investors on both sides.
The meeting also touched on regional developments and the need to achieve comprehensive calm and preserve the sovereignty of states.
The two sides emphasized that the two-state solution is the only way to achieve just and comprehensive peace.
The king reiterated the need to adhere to the terms of the agreement to end the war in Gaza and ensure the flow of relief aid, as well as to stop unilateral measures against Palestinians in the West Bank.
For her part, Kallas emphasized the importance of the EU’s partnership with Jordan and the shared commitment to deepen cooperation in various fields, noting Jordan’s pivotal role in the region.
