Paris: Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari of Qatar, and Audrey Azoulay of France are the leading candidates to head Unesco, after as a result of Monday’s preliminary vote in Paris.
Unesco’s executive board is choosing a new leader to replace departing director Irina Bokova, whose tenure was marred by funding troubles and tension over its inclusion of Palestine as a member.
Voting by the 58-member executive board started Monday and continues through the week until a candidate wins a majority. The choice then goes to the full Unesco general assembly next month for final approval.
Arab countries have long wanted to lead the organization, though divisions over Palestinian membership have complicated their push.
After the first round of voting, Kawari received 19 votes, followed by Azoulay, who is Jewish, with 13.
Former Egyptian government minister Moushira Khattab garnered 11 votes.
The votes for the other four candidates are as follows: six for Vera Al Khoury Lacoeuilhe of Lebanon, five for Qian Tang of China and two for Polad Bulbuloglu of Azerbaijan and Pham Sanh Chau of Vietnam.
The US – once Unesco’s biggest financial contributor – and Israel suspended Unesco funding when its members voted to make Palestine a member state in 2011.
A top priority for the next director will be shoring up finances at Unesco, best known for its World Heritage program to protect cultural sites and traditions around the world.
With inputs from agencies
