Abdel Rahim Ali: Khaled El-Enany Is the Most Likely Candidate to Win UNESCO Director-General Post
Sunday 05/October/2025 - 04:53 PM
Egypt’s Fourth Bid for UNESCO Leadership Gains Momentum
Egyptian journalist and parliamentarian Abdel Rahim Ali, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Bawaba News, expressed confidence that Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Egypt’s candidate for Director-General of UNESCO, is closer than ever to securing victory in the organization’s upcoming election.
Speaking on Sunday, October 5, Ali said Egypt is entering this race with stronger foundations than in its three previous unsuccessful bids, crediting unprecedented Arab, African, and French support for the former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
Reflecting on Egypt’s Past Attempts
Ali recalled that Egypt had fielded three distinguished candidates in earlier UNESCO elections, all of whom reached advanced stages but ultimately fell short of victory.
The first was Ismail Serageldin in 1999, the renowned scholar who later became Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The second was Farouk Hosni, the long-serving Minister of Culture, who came close to winning in 2009 before losing to Bulgaria’s Irina Bokova after a tense final round. The third was Moushira Khattab, former Minister of Family and Population, who ran in 2017 and reached the final stage but was defeated by France’s Audrey Azoulay.
Ali noted that these repeated bids reflected Egypt’s enduring commitment to the values of culture, education, and heritage that UNESCO embodies — but that 2025 marks a turning point.
Unprecedented Arab and French Support
According to Ali, this is the first time the Arab League has issued a unanimous resolution endorsing Egypt’s nominee for the top UNESCO post. This unified stance, he said, demonstrates the Arab world’s recognition of Egypt’s civilizational leadership and cultural influence on the global stage.
Equally significant, Ali added, is that France — the host country of UNESCO and the presiding nation of this year’s session — has officially declared its full support for Dr. El-Enany’s candidacy. The Egyptian candidate also enjoys strong backing from African ambassadors and permanent delegates, reflecting Cairo’s success in building a broad coalition that bridges both Arab and African blocs.
A Candidate Rooted in Heritage and Academia
Ali emphasized that Dr. Khaled El-Enany’s qualifications align perfectly with UNESCO’s mission, describing him as “a distinguished Egyptologist” who carried “the weight of humanity’s oldest heritage” when serving as Minister of Antiquities and later as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
El-Enany’s career, he said, reflects Egypt’s unique status as a cradle of civilizations — Pharaonic, Coptic, Arab, Islamic, and modern — a rare cultural alloy unmatched anywhere in the world.
“His experience, scholarship, and vision for global cultural dialogue,” Ali stated, “make him not only a national candidate but a universal one.”
An Optimistic Outlook Ahead of the Vote
As UNESCO’s Executive Board prepares for the final round of voting on Monday, optimism is high in Cairo. Ali voiced his belief that El-Enany has become the frontrunner and could soon become the first Arab to lead UNESCO since its establishment in 1945.
“With hope and determination,” he concluded, “we can say that Dr. Khaled El-Enany is the most likely — God willing — to win the position of Director-General of UNESCO. Tomorrow evening, we hope to announce the good news to Egyptians and to the world. All of you, pray for him.”
