The Federal Republic of Nigeria has reaffirmed its firm support for the candidacy of Professor Khaled El-Enany
The Federal Republic of Nigeria has reaffirmed its firm support for the candidacy of Professor Khaled El-Enany, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, for the position of Director-General of UNESCO.
This renewed endorsement was made during a high-level visit to Abuja by Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Expatriates, H.E. Dr. Badr Abdelatty, and Professor El-Enany, who held constructive discussions with H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and H.E. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During the meetings, both sides emphasized the importance of consolidating African unity behind major continental candidacies to international institutions. They underscored the urgent need for a strong, unified African voice in multilateral forums and highlighted the centrality of education, science, culture, and communication as pillars for building lasting peace — shared priorities for Africa and UNESCO alike.
The visit to Nigeria formed part of an intensive global outreach campaign led by Professor El-Enany, who has engaged with more than 60 countries since April 2023. Just last month, he visited Caribbean states, including Haiti, and traveled to New York to meet with delegations at the United Nations. Through these engagements, he has shared his vision for a people-centered UNESCO — grounded in active listening, inclusive cooperation, and the celebration of cultural diversity as the bedrock of multilateralism.
Nigeria thus joins a growing number of UNESCO Executive Board Member States that have publicly declared their support for Professor El-Enany’s candidacy. The African Union has officially endorsed him as the sole continental candidate, following three successive summits held in February 2024, July 2024, and most recently in July 2025.
Several African countries have reinforced this continental endorsement with public declarations of support. Notably, Gabon withdrew its candidate in December 2024 in favor of Egypt, and Angola — the current Chair of the African Union — issued a joint presidential statement with Egypt last April, expressing unequivocal support for El-Enany’s candidacy. Nigeria’s announcement this week in Abuja further consolidated this momentum, and Burkina Faso is the latest country to publicly join in reaffirming its support for the Egyptian candidate — underscoring the growing continental consensus behind Professor El-Enany.
Beyond Africa, growing international support has followed the official hearing of candidates before the UNESCO Executive Board on 9 April 2025, where Professor El-Enany’s compelling vision for the future of UNESCO resonated widely.