Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 6, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleKhaled El-Enany, former Egyptian minister, is elected as UNESCO's new chief, tasked with addressing funding challenges following the US withdrawal.
By John Irish
PARIS (Reuters) -The United Nations' cultural agency selected former Egyptian tourism and antiquities minister Khaled El-Enany as its new chief on Monday, handing him the keys to revive UNESCO's fortunes after the U.S. withdrew from it for a second time.
El-Enany, 54, was up against Édouard Firmin Matoko, 69, of Republic of Congo, but had been the favourite to win the secret ballot for a four-year term, having launched his campaign early in April 2023.
He had since built strong regional backing and international alliances.
UNESCO's board, which represents 58 of the agency’s 194 member states, elected him with 55 votes. Matoko won two votes. The United States did not vote.
The selection will now be put forward for approval to UNESCO members on November 6.
While outgoing chief Audrey Azoulay has worked to diversify funding sources, the U.N. culture and education agency still receives about 8% of its budget from Washington.
Once the U.S. withdrawal takes effect at the end of 2026, that funding will be cut.
The White House described UNESCO as supporting "woke, divisive cultural and social causes" when Trump decided to pull the U.S. out in July, repeating a move he took in his first term that was reversed by Joe Biden.
The agency, founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture, is best known for designating and protecting archaeological and heritage sites, from the Galapagos Islands to the tombs of Timbuktu.
"How come a country like Egypt, with its long history, with layers of Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Arab, Islamic civilisation, has not led this important organisation? This is not acceptable at all," Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in Paris last week.
But El-Enany has faced criticism at home from conservationists who accused his ministry of failing to shield sensitive heritage sites in Cairo and the Sinai Peninsula.
Azoulay, from France, has completed the maximum two four-year terms.
(Reporting by John Irish amd Mohammed Ezz in Cairo;Editing by Alison Williams and Ros Russell)
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, aims to promote peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture.
Cultural heritage refers to the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society, including monuments, sites, traditions, and practices.
The chief of an organization, such as UNESCO, is responsible for leading the organization, making strategic decisions, and representing it in international forums.
International cooperation involves countries working together to address global challenges, share knowledge, and promote mutual understanding, which is essential for peace and development.
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