The UNESCO executive board has voted 55 to 2 in favor of Egypt’s Khaled El-Enany as the next Director-General, with the United States abstaining from the vote. El-Enany, a former tourism and antiquities minister, will now be put forward for approval to UNESCO’s 194 members in November.
He would be the first Arab leader to head the organization, with the support of the African Union and Arab League.
El-Enany has pledged to focus on UNESCO’s cultural programs and continue the agency’s work to fight anti-Semitism and religious intolerance.
The new Director-General will face a significant funding shortage following the US withdrawal from UNESCO.
