The UNESCO General Conference elected Mr. Khaled El-Enany (Egypt) as Director-General of UNESCO on November 6, 2025, in Samarkand, with 172 votes out of a total of 174 voters. He will succeed Audrey Azoulay, who has been in office since 2017, on November 15.

A distinguished Egyptologist and former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr. El-Enany is recognized for his academic expertise and commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage, both in Egypt and internationally. He thus becomes the 12th Director-General of UNESCO, the first from an Arab country and the second African to hold this position.

To learn more about his career and achievements, please see the official UNESCO press release.