UNESCO race exposes rift between Egypt, Qatar
Qatar says UNESCO vote has "reflected its good reputation and distinguished stature" in the world

CAIRO/DOHA
A race for the helm of the United Nations’ cultural agency has exposed a diplomatic tiff between Egypt and Qatar.
On Friday, UNESCO selected former French culture minister Audrey Azoulay as its new chief after edging Qatar’s Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari after
This came hours after Azoulay defeated Egyptian candidate Moushira Khattab in a run-off vote for the post.
The UNESCO vote was marred by tension between Egypt and Qatar with Cairo accusing Doha of using its financial power to influence the UN agency’s 58-member executive council.
In a statement on Saturday, Qatar’s foreign ministry said the results of the Qatari candidate “have reflected its good reputation and distinguished stature” in the world.
The ministry said it has not been dragged
On Friday, Qatar-funded Al Jazeera television aired a video it said was
Egypt’s foreign ministry, however, denied that the person who chanted against Qatar was a diplomat or a member of Egypt’s mission at UNESCO.
In
In June, Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism.
The four states presented a list of demands for Doha to end the sanctions or face further penalties.
Doha, for its part, denies the accusations and content that the blockade was in violation of international law.
Reporting by Ahmed al-Masri and Hussein