A leading candidate for UNESCO’s top position has announced an ambitious plan to build more museums across Africa. Firmin Edouard Matoko, a veteran diplomat from the Republic of the Congo, stated that if elected director-general, he would prioritize constructing institutions to house artifacts returned from former colonial powers. Matoko, who has served UNESCO for 35 years, argues that restitution is only the first step and that proper facilities and trained staff are essential to preserve these cultural treasures and prevent illicit trafficking. This initiative would also boost cultural tourism, creating jobs and generating revenue for local economies. Matoko faces competition from Egypt’s former tourism minister, Khaled El-Enany, in an election that will determine the UN agency’s first African leader in nearly four decades.
SEMAFOR
