Nigeria Officially Announces Support for Anani’s Candidacy for UNESCO Director-General Position

CAIRO – 21 July 2025: Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar officially declared his country’s support for Dr. Khaled El-Anani’s candidacy for the position of UNESCO Director-General.

The Nigerian Minister’s announcement was declared during the Egypt-Nigeria Business Forum, held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on July 21, 2025, in presence of Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration Badr Abdelatty, and Egypt’s candidate for the position of Director-General of UNESCO, Dr. Khaled El-Anani, with broad participation from representatives of major Egyptian and Nigerian companies, as well as chambers of commerce and economic bodies from both countries.

In his opening speech, the Nigerian Foreign Minister officially declared his country’s support for Dr. Khaled El-Anani’s candidacy for the position of UNESCO Director-General, expressing his sincere wishes for success in the upcoming elections scheduled for October 2025. The Nigerian Minister also expressed his eagerness to strengthen Egyptian-Nigerian relations across all fields, highlighting the promising opportunities to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Minister Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s growing commitment to strengthening economic and trade cooperation with Nigeria, describing it as one of Egypt’s most important partners on the African continent. He noted that the forum represents an ideal platform to deepen partnerships between the private sectors of both countries and to explore joint investment opportunities across various fields. Minister Abdelatty also outlined the significance of leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to broaden cooperation prospects, pointing to integration opportunities between Egypt and Nigeria in several vital sectors, particularly agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mining, and manufacturing industries.

Minister Abdelatty further highlighted Egypt’s efforts to develop the investment climate and infrastructure, as well as the expansion of its industrial base to include diverse sectors such as electronics, building materials, food processing, and pharmaceuticals, all known for their high quality and competitive pricing. He also referred to the promising opportunities offered by the Egyptian market and the mega national projects being implemented by the state, affirming the Egyptian government’s readiness to provide all necessary support and facilitation to bolster economic cooperation with Nigeria, especially given the deep-rooted historical and political ties between the two countries.

In conclusion, Minister Abdelatty called for joint action to eliminate any obstacles hindering the enhancement of economic relations, affirming the Egyptian government’s full readiness to support companies and investors from both sides. He expressed confidence that the Nigerian side will also provide all necessary facilitations to maximize mutual benefits.

Anani’s andidacy continues to gain international momentum, with Austria and Slovakia becoming the latest countries to officially declare their support.

The Executive Council of the African Union has endorsed the nomination of Egyptian candidate Dr. Khaled El-Anani for the position of UNESCO Director-General. The AU’s endorsement was announced during the 44th session of the Executive Council, held in Addis Ababa on February 14–15.