Khaled Al-Anani is the first Arab to head UNESCO after winning the recommendation of the Executive Council

In a historic achievement for Egyptian cultural diplomacy, Dr. Khaled Al-Anani won the presidency of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after receiving an official recommendation from the organization's Executive Council during its meeting in the French capital, Paris, today, Monday.  

Al-Anani, who is 54 years old, surpassed his Congolese competitor Edward Firmin Matoko (69 years old), who currently holds the position of Deputy Director-General for External Relations at UNESCO and is considered one of the prominent figures working within the organization for decades.  

With this victory, Al-Anani becomes the first Arab to assume the presidency of UNESCO and the second African to hold this position after Senegalese Amadou Mahtar Mbow, who led the organization from 1974 to 1987.  

Al-Anani launched his campaign in April 2023 and was able to build extensive regional and international alliances, supported by the Arab League and the African Union, in addition to the endorsement of other international groups, which made him the most favored candidate in the secret ballot that led to his victory for a four-year presidential term, succeeding the French Audrey Azoulay, who completed two consecutive terms, the maximum duration allowed under the organization's regulations.