FM Sameh Shoukry to head to Paris and support Moushira Khattab

CAIRO – 4 October 2017: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Sameh Shoukry heads to Paris on Wednesday to meet with the members of the Executive Board of UNESCO to promote Moushira Khattab's candidacy for the UNESCO post, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs exerts many efforts to support Khattab during the election for the UNESCO director-general post that starts on October 9, said Abu Zeid.

During the visit, Shoukry meets with African permanent representatives in the Executive Board within the framework of the African Union to support Khattab. In addition, he will participate in the welcoming ceremony organized by the Egyptian Embassy in Paris for many permanent members of the Executive Board.

In addition, Shoukry will convene with French Foreign Affairs Minister John Yves Lauderane to tackle some issues regarding the bilateral relations and regional developments especially in Libya, Syria and Iraq.

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 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 website.