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By Matthew Russell Lee & sources, Exclusive

UN GATE, March 16 – UNESCO, like the whole UN system under Antonio Guterres was been falling apart in corruption and fraud.

  Inner City Press has been reporting on serious malfeasance by the French Audrey Azoulay administration at UNESCO in Paris, almost as bad as Antonio Guterres' corruption in and of the UN in New York. A fish rots from the head.

The UNESCO related series is now more than 125 stories long. It has exposed serious cases of corruption and abuse of power. It has also contributed to the forced dismissal of several senior UNESCO officials, including two program ADGs for Communication and Information and one ADG for Science, a human resources director from Korea and another one from Japan, and most recently, the UK's ADG for (mis)management, Nicholas Jeffreys, who had already left UNESCO after the financial scandal revealed by Inner City Press early last year. 

Yesterday, March 15, was the deadline for submitting candidates for the post of Director-General of UNESCO. In addition to the Egyptian candidate, Dr Khaled Al-Anani, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, two other candidates were presented – both from the UNESCO Secretariat. So there will only be three candidates in the running, two of whom are clearly Azoulay acolytes.  The two internal candidates are the ADG for Social and human sciences, Mexico's Gabriela Ramos, and the other one is DG Azoulay's yes-man and ADG for External Affairs and Africa, Vietnamese-Congolese Firmin Matoko.

 The one who will miss the electoral contest is the destroyer of UNESCO's Culture Sector, Ernesto Ottone, because his country, Chile, intends to run for the post of UN Secretary-General next year, supporting Michelle Bachelet, twice President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, instead of Ernesto Ottone, better known for appointing and promoting his mistresses at UNESCO.  While Matoko's candidacy was expected, despite the support announced by his country, Congo, for the Egyptian candidate, Ramos' candidacy comes as a surprise, since the information that she would not be running had prevailed in recent weeks.

This change of position by the Mexican authorities only confirms that there was strong outside interference in the decision-making process, most probably from Azoulay's political entourage, but also from countries that have never accepted and will never accept the idea of an Arab candidate obtaining the post of DG of UNESCO.  Ottone is therefore left out, much to his regret, and Ramos enters the race. DG Azoulay's calculation is therefore quite simple to read, since she is clearly behind the two internal candidates.

Firstly, Matoko would, she hopes, enable to carve out a few African votes, and secondly Ramos could be presented as a consensus candidate, in order to perpetuate the Azoulay regime. It's a bit childish, but Azoulay has never been known to be a serious or mature diplomat. Given that no plan for winning elections devised by Azoulay and her team has worked in recent years, the Egyptian candidate should remain serene and count on the proven fact that any support from Azoulay for the other two candidates will only help to sink them properly.  The latest example of Azoulay's unstrategic influence on elections was demonstrated in the last election for the presidency of the Executive Board. (here ).

The results of this vote speak volumes about DG Azoulay's level of diplomatic skills. Brazil lost the election with only 20 votes. St Lucia won as the new President of the Board with 36 votes (2 abstentions).  Inner City Press has regularly exposed the fact that since the start of Azoulay's mandate, the French DG and her team have developed the comfortable habit of treating the UN agency as if it were her private property. This situation, conducive to practices that abuse the rules and processes of governance, was ended by the member states, who voted overwhelmingly against the Brazilian candidate, Ambassador Paula Alves de Souza, who was supported openly by DG Azoulay, for the position of Chair of the Agency's Executive Board. 

As it turned out, every diplomatic move Azoulay made in opposition to Saint Lucia's candidacy only served to strengthen it. It's easy to predict that the same will be true of this next election, as it's clear that the majority of Member States on the Executive Board are not satisfied with UNESCO's current state of affairs.  In addition, Inner City Press has also extensively exposed the misdeeds of the two ADGs, and it's pretty hard to take these candidates seriously. However, for member states wishing to perpetuate the Azoulay regime and further weaken UNESCO, they could be a good option. Thus, on March 23, 2024, almost a year ago, Inner City Press wrote the following in anticipation of the internal candidates' moves - here   

Gabriela Ramos is best known in the SHS sector for having been authorized by DG Azoulay to exercise totalitarian control over staff, including intimidation and harassment that coerce staff members into fear and obedience. For years, Azoulay took no action against her and continued to protect her against documented complaints from her staff to Ethics and the IOS. This proves that Azoulay is delighted with Ramos' candidacy as all her efforts to protect Ramos are now paying off. Azoulay has also given the same protection to Matoko. First she sent Matoko back home on retirement, then appointed a Ghanean in Matoko's place, then dismissed the Ghanean for no reason other than to reappoint Matoko. This is further proof that she is also behind his candidacy. So, until the elections in autumn 2025, the Egyptian candidate actually will face three opponents: Matoko, Ramos and Azoulay. 

Both ADGs must now stop using public funds for campaigning and be asked to resign with immediate effect. It is now clear why Azoulay fiercely opposed the Board's proposal to immediately dismiss any internal candidate running for the post of DG. Everything that is currently happening has been duly prepared by Azoulay and her team, and it is most regrettable that the Egyptian ambassador to UNESCO has slept soundly over it at the time of this crucial decision.

  Under Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO's main mission has shifted to Prada events and Cannes Festival celebrations. Happily, this year her mandate comes to an end, and this is the only comforting and inspirational thought for both the staff and the national authorities who care about UNESCO's future and continue to take an interest in it.

This is where UNESCO stands today. We will have more on that. Watch this site.

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