UNESCO board backs Egyptian for chief after US row | International

PARIS, Oct 7, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - UNESCO executives voted Monday to make an Egyptian ex-antiquities minister the UN culture body's next leader, as it grapples with accusations of pro-Israel bias that prompted the United States to say it would quit the organisation. The board voted to appoint Khaled el-Enany, Egypt's former antiquities and tourism minister, to replace French director-general Audrey Azoulay after her two four-year terms in office. The United States did not take part in the vote, having announced its future withdrawal from the organisation, which is best known for designating world-famous heritage sites. Enany, 54, has said he would seek to bring back the United States -- which contributes eight percent of UNESCO's overall funding -- into the...