Egypt's Khaled El-Enany outlines strategic vision in bid for UNESCO leadership
'Today, I had the honour and privilege to present my vision to the esteemed members of UNESCO's Executive Board,' El-Enany wrote on his official Facebook page.
He said the session marked a significant milestone in a remarkable journey he began two years ago, driven by a strong belief in the transformative power of dialogue.
'A journey where I traveled to over 45 countries, listening and engaging with officials, students, academics, artists, journalists, and civil society to get a firm grasp on the real needs and priorities of people,' he added.
El-Enany emphasised that his campaign for the top UNESCO post is founded on transparency, inclusivity, and active listening.
'After today's exchanges, I am more determined than ever to continue my transparent and inclusive journey to get in touch with the hopes and aspirations of every member state,' he wrote.
He pledged that his mission will focus on dialogue and engagement, aiming to foster trust and, above all, to realise the vision of 'A UNESCO for the People.'
El-Enany, a prominent Egyptian academic and former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, is widely recognised for advocating international cooperation in education and science.
His candidacy positions Egypt again at the forefront of multilateral diplomacy within UNESCO, an organisation Egypt helped found.
In 2009, Egypt nominated former Minister of Culture Farouk Hosny for the post of UNESCO director-general. He lost his bid to Bulgarian former foreign minister Irina Bokova.
In 2017, politician and diplomat Moushira Khattab was also nominated by Egypt for the post. However, she lost her bid to the current UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azouly.
The final selection of the next Director-General is expected later this year.
Follow us on:
Short link:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
8 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt to run special train for Sudanese voluntarily returning home - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's national railway announced on Monday that it will operate a designated train to facilitate the voluntary return of Sudanese nationals and their families to their homeland. The move comes 'within the … cooperation and close fraternal relations' between Egypt and Sudan, the Egyptian National Railways Authority said in a statement on Sunday. Train number 1940, a third-class air-conditioned service, will depart Cairo at 11:00 AM on Monday and arrive in Aswan at 11:00 PM. From Aswan, the Sudanese will continue their journey to Sudan via the High Dam Port, a Nile access to the neighbouring nation. Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir has instructed railway officials to provide all necessary services to ensure the comfort and safe arrival of the Sudanese passengers, the statement added. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reported a rise in voluntary returns of displaced Sudanese from neighbouring countries since January 2025, citing an improved security situation in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Egypt, a haven for refugees fleeing conflicts besetting various neighbouring nations in recent years, currently accommodates the largest share of Sudanese who have fled their country since the outbreak of intense conflict. Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This nearly two-year war has plunged the nation into what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that approximately 13 million people have been displaced either internally or externally, with over 3.5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan. The recent influx of Sudanese refugees has significantly augmented the existing Sudanese population in Egypt. Government officials recently estimated the total number of Sudanese residing in the country at 5.5 million. According to a recent statement from Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), the country hosts an estimated nine million refugees in total, including four million from Sudan. In recent months, this influx has ignited a public debate within Egypt regarding the unprecedented pressure it places on the nation's public services and infrastructure. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
8 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt's PM Meets German Minister to Discuss Development Cooperation
H-Tayea Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting on Sunday with Reem Alabali-Radovan, the newly appointed Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany. The meeting took place in New Alamein City and was attended by Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Rania Al-Mashat and Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Aaty. At the outset of the meeting, Prime Minister Madbouly extended his warm welcome to the German minister and congratulated her on her new position, also offering best wishes for the success of the new German government. He noted that her visit to Egypt — particularly to New Alamein — reflects the strength and depth of Egyptian-German relations. He also highlighted the many areas in which the two nations have been cooperating, both bilaterally and in addressing broader Middle East issues. Madbouly emphasized that the longstanding partnership between Egypt and Germany is built on mutual interests and shared commitments to advancing sustainable development goals. He noted that Germany's development cooperation programs in Egypt focus on several vital areas, including the expansion of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, technical and vocational education, water resource management, and private sector development. The Prime Minister also pointed out that Egypt and Germany have recently taken tangible steps to broaden their cooperation, through economic and development agreements, debt swap programs, and joint initiatives aimed at supporting national priorities. He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to deepening this strategic relationship and expanding the scope of cooperation across all sectors. Madbouly expressed his hope that Germany would continue to play a supportive role in enhancing Egypt's ties with the European Union, and that the two countries would jointly pursue initiatives that benefit not only both peoples, but also the wider region. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Daily News Egypt
8 hours ago
- Daily News Egypt
Local development minister explores digital transformation of Egyptian cities with Esri
Local Development Minister Manal Awad met with Richard Budden, Director of Local Governments and Smart Cities at global GIS leader Esri, to discuss strengthening the digital capabilities of Egyptian cities through advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Esri International User Conference in San Diego, California. Also in attendance were Hisham El Helbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects; Hossam Al Qawish, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation; and several Esri representatives. During the meeting, Awad highlighted the Ministry's conviction that cities are central to driving sustainable development. She stressed that equipping local administrations with accurate, real-time data is the first step towards achieving spatial justice and improving citizens' quality of life. She pointed to the 'Atlas of Egyptian Cities' as a successful model showing how GIS can transform local governance. The atlas, she explained, has enhanced the ability of local authorities to monitor demographic and climate changes, set service and investment priorities, and respond more effectively to emerging challenges. Awad noted that the Ministry is working to build the capacity of governorates to use GIS tools to identify development gaps, analyse service efficiency, and ensure more equitable resource allocation—particularly in medium and small cities, which need integrated and targeted interventions. She also underlined the importance of creating interactive digital platforms at the city level. These platforms, she said, would facilitate data exchange, support urban planning, enable knowledge sharing with global partners, and strengthen crisis response and resilient urban expansion efforts. Richard Budden praised the Ministry's progress in digital transformation and noted that the Atlas of Egyptian Cities has become an important reference for local governments globally on applying GIS in evidence-based policymaking. Budden reaffirmed Esri's commitment to supporting medium and small cities in developing countries and expressed readiness to tailor digital toolkits and platforms to fit the needs of Egyptian cities. He also welcomed the idea of launching training programmes in partnership with the Ministry to help create a new generation of planners and decision-makers skilled in using GIS for daily operations and strategic planning. Awad further emphasised the need to deepen integration between spatial planning tools and public budgeting processes to better align local development priorities with resource allocation. She invited Esri to collaborate on developing flexible, integrated tools to support this alignment. Concluding the meeting, she expressed hope to establish clear implementation steps for cooperation in areas such as local planning, urban monitoring, and managing urban growth. These efforts, she said, aim to build smart, inclusive, and resilient Egyptian cities in line with global sustainable development goals. Both sides agreed to expand technical cooperation between the Ministry of Local Development and Esri, guided by a joint roadmap focused on developing geographic platforms, urban tracking applications, and capacity building as part of Egypt's integrated development strategy.
