At the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, delegates elected Khaled El-Enany — a distinguished Egyptologist and professor at Helwan University — as the new Director-General, with 172 votes out of 174. He will succeed Audrey Azoulay, who has led UNESCO since 2017, and will officially assume office on 15 November 2025.
Professor El-Enany has devoted over 30 years to research and teaching. He previously headed the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and served as Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities from 2016 to 2022, later as Minister of Tourism. In 2024, he was appointed a UNWTO Special Ambassador for Cultural Tourism.
El-Enany is the first representative of the Arab world and only the second African to lead UNESCO. His election marks a new chapter in the organisation’s development, reinforcing peace and cultural cooperation.