Egypt one of strongest 3 candidates to win UNESCO post

CAIRO – 4 October 2017: Egypt is one of the three strongest candidates to win the UNESCO director-general post, in which eight candidates ran for it, said the Egyptian Ambassador to France Ihab Badawi during an interview with Middle East News Agency.

The African Union, which has the largest number of seats and votes in the Executive Board of UNESCO, is supporting Moushira Khattab, added Badawi on the sidelines of the 202nd session of the Executive Board of UNESCO. The session opened its meetings on October 4, and will continue to convene until October 18. Khattab is perceived to have a growing chance of winning.

Guatemala’s candidate, Juan Alfonso Fuentes Soria, was withdrawn from the election for the interests of other countries, stated Badawi. He hoped that withdrawing other Arab candidates will not break up Arab voices, particularly since Khattab represents all Arab and African countries.

Eight candidates are competing for the post, including Egypt's Khattab, Lebanese official candidate Vera Khoury, who has been working for UNESCO for 20 years; former Qatari Minister of Culture Hamad Abdul Aziz Al-Kawari, adviser to the Emir of Qatar for cultural affairs; and French Audrey Azoulay.

The director-general is nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the General Conference for a period of four years.

The person to be nominated by the Executive Board shall be chosen through a secret ballot, during a vote that will take place during the Board's 202nd session in October 2017.

Subsequently, the Chairperson of the Board shall inform the General Conference, during its 39th session in November 2017, of the candidate nominated by the Board. The General Conference shall consider this nomination and then elect, by secret ballot, the person proposed by the Executive Board, according to UNESCO’s website.