Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met on Monday with Tamara Rastovak, President of the Executive Board of UNESCO.
Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the Foreign Minister welcomed the President of the Executive Council of the organization to start her tour in the Arab region by visiting Cairo, which hosts the first UNESCO office outside its headquarters.
Shoukry expressed his support for the constructive approach taken by the President of the Council in chairing the meetings of the Executive Board of the organization since her election in November 2019.
He stressed the importance of moving away from politicizing discussions within the organization and adopting its decisions based on consensus as much as possible, following broad consultation, focusing on the organization’s main tasks in the areas of education, science and culture.
He also discussed ways to strengthen the role of UNESCO in supporting the requests of member States to restore their stolen cultural heritage and property.
For her part, the President of the Executive Board expressed her deep appreciation for the support of Egypt and its permanent delegation to UNESCO for its tasks and for the ability to successfully carry out its responsibilities.
She was also keen to brief the Foreign Minister on the issues that represent a special challenge to the work of the organization at the moment, stressing her keenness to work through consensus and the participation of all members in formulating the positions of the Council of the organization away from political polarization, in order to ensure the implementation of the developmental and cultural goals of the organization
