Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour hailed co-operation between Egypt and UNESCO, calling for investments in culture.
Ashour’s remarks were made during his keynote speech on Tuesday at the UNESCO Executive Council in its 220th session in Paris.
In his speech, Ashourvoiced Egypt’s support for the statements made by the Arab Group, African Group, and the Group of 77 and China, thanking UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay for her comprehensive report on the organisation’s efforts and future plans for 2026-2029.
The minister has stressed the importance of ongoing consultations between the UNESCO Secretariat and member states to ensure all countries benefit from the organization’s programs.
Ashour highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, pointing to the severe consequences of Israeli aggression on Gaza, which has resulted in thousands of casualties and the destruction of schools, universities, mosques, and churches.
He also praised the strong cooperation between Egypt and UNESCO, particularly through the “Egyptian Knowledge Bank” initiative.In his keynote speech, Ashour noted that Egypt hosted UNESCO officials in May to probe ways to share this initiative with other member states.
The minister has reiterated Egypt’s role in promoting water sector resilience through UNESCO’s AWARe initiative and expressed support for the “Charter for the Future,” recently adopted at the United Nations General Assembly.
He called for more investments in culture and international cooperation to return cultural property to its countries of origin.
Ashour appreciated the support Egypt’s candidate, Khaled el-Enany, has received for the position of UNESCO Director-General, with backing from the African Union, Arab countries,and other member states.
He described El-Enany as highly qualified for the role, highlighting Egypt’s cultural diversity and its alignment with UNESCO’s values.
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