Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany emerges as frontrunner for UNESCO chief, but Congo’s Firmin Matoko says outcome still uncertain ahead of key vote.

Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany emerges as frontrunner for UNESCO chief, but Congo’s Firmin Matoko says outcome still uncertain ahead of key vote.

An Egyptian former minister is widely seen as the frontrunner to lead the UN’s cultural agency, but his Congolese rival insists the race remains open ahead of a crucial decision next week.

CBI News reports that UNESCO's executive board is set to recommend a candidate on Monday to replace outgoing Director General Audrey Azoulay, whose second four-year term ends this year. While the final vote will take place on November 6 during the agency’s general assembly in Uzbekistan, the board’s endorsement has historically determined the outcome.

The contest has narrowed to two candidates following the withdrawal of a Mexican contender in August: Egypt’s Khaled el-Enany, former antiquities and tourism minister, and the Republic of Congo’s Firmin Edouard Matoko, a longtime UNESCO official who served as assistant director general for external relations.

El-Enany, a 54-year-old Egyptologist, has been campaigning for over two years and is viewed by many diplomats as the favourite. He was by far the best candidate, a European diplomat told AFP following candidate interviews in April. Another source familiar with internal discussions described his election as a done deal.

However, Matoko, 69, who has worked at UNESCO since 1990, argues that his deep institutional experience makes him the stronger choice. He has dismissed claims of a foregone conclusion, saying the outcome remains uncertain until the official vote.

El-Enany, who served under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi from 2016 to 2022, says he has visited 65 countries and met with 400 stakeholders as part of his campaign. The executive board’s recommendation, determined by its 58 member states, will be a pivotal step in deciding UNESCO’s next leader.