The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Executive Board has nominated Mr Khaled El-Enany, a former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt, for the position of Director-General of the Organisation. All UNESCO Member States will vote on the nomination on November 6, 2025, during the 43rd Session of the Organisation’s General Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. If confirmed, he will take office in mid-November 2025, succeeding the current Director-General, Ms Audrey Azoulay.
All UNESCO Member States will vote on this nomination on November 6, 2025, during the Organisation’s General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. If confirmed, he will take office in mid-November, succeeding Ms Audrey Azoulay.
Born in 1971, Mr El-Enany is an Egyptologist and Professor at Helwan University, where he has taught for over 30 years. He holds a PhD in Egyptology from Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University in France, where he has also served as a visiting professor.
Mr El-Enany has headed major Egyptian museums, including the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He also served as Minister of Antiquities and later Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt between 2016 and 2022.
An advocate for culture and heritage, he was named Special Ambassador for Cultural Tourism by the World Tourism Organisation in 2024 and is a patron of the African World Heritage Fund.
He speaks Arabic, French, and English, and holds several international honours for his work in promoting culture and heritage.
