UNESCO selects a new Director-General amid shifts in funding and global engagement

The Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) selected a new Director-General on Monday in Paris, through a secret ballot for a four-year term, with the appointment to be formally endorsed by the General Conference in November. The vote comes as the organization faces a likely decline in U.S. financial contributions following a renewed withdrawal decision by the administration of President Donald Trump—funding that accounts for around eight percent of UNESCO’s budget despite outgoing Director-General Audrey Azoulay’s efforts to diversify revenue sources.

Two candidates are competing for the post: former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Anany (54), and the Republic of the Congo’s Edouard Firmin Matoko (69), who has spent much of his career at UNESCO. El-Anany is widely viewed as the frontrunner, having launched his campaign in April 2023 and subsequently built strong regional backing and international alliances.
Founded after World War II to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture, UNESCO is well known for identifying and safeguarding World Heritage Sites, from the Galápagos Islands to the Tombs of Timbuktu.
During the race, official Egyptian statements underscored Cairo’s credentials to lead the agency given its deep civilizational legacy, while Washington argued that UNESCO embraced “divisive cultural and social issues” when it announced its withdrawal in July—an action taken during Trump’s first term and later reversed by former President Joe Biden, before being reintroduced.
The Executive Board comprises 58 of UNESCO’s 194 Member States and conducts the initial vote before forwarding the nomination to the General Conference. Azoulay, a French national, has completed her second term, the maximum allowed for the post.

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