Egypt’s former tourism and antiquities minister Khaled El-Enany is poised to become the next director-general of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), despite sharp criticism from heritage groups accusing him of failing to protect key cultural sites in his home country.
El-Enany, 54, won overwhelming support last month from UNESCO’s 58-member Executive Board, securing 55 votes against Edouard Firmin Matoko of Congo-Brazzaville.
His confirmation by all 194 member states is expected Thursday at the agency’s General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He will be the first Arab to lead the U.N. cultural and education body.
However, his appointment has drawn backlash from conservationists and NGOs.
The Berlin-based group World Heritage Watch urged member states to reject El-Enany, citing the demolition of parts of Cairo’s historic necropolis, known as the “City of the Dead,” and construction projects near St Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, both UNESCO World Heritage sites.
“It is irresponsible to entrust someone with such a past with the top job at the organisation responsible for preserving world heritage,” the group said in a letter signed by over 50 experts and organizations.
El-Enany, an Egyptologist and former museum director, served as tourism and antiquities minister from 2016 to 2022. Activists argue that during his tenure, his ministry failed to protect historic Cairo’s cemeteries as highway projects cut through unregistered mausoleums, destroying centuries-old tombs.
“What happened in the cemeteries is erasing a huge part of Egypt’s history,” said heritage advocate Sally Soliman, who has filed lawsuits against the demolitions.
The Egyptian government has defended the projects, insisting that registered monuments were preserved and that the infrastructure works were necessary to modernize Cairo and boost tourism.
In Sinai, the “Great Transfiguration” tourism project near St Catherine’s Monastery has also faced criticism for replacing traditional structures with large domed buildings that clash with the ancient site’s surroundings.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has since requested an expert mission to assess the damage.
Despite these controversies, El-Enany’s candidacy has gained strong backing from Arab and African nations. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called his election “overdue representation” for the region.
El-Enany has pledged to “build a UNESCO for the people,” promising to streamline decision-making and diversify funding as the organization faces potential U.S. funding cuts by 2026.
If confirmed, he will take office in mid-November, succeeding France’s Audrey Azoulay, who is completing her second four-year term.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
