The Bold Quest of Firmin Édouard Matoko for UNESCO Leadership

Two months before the elections to succeed Audrey Azoulay as head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the candidates in the running are multiplying their meetings. This is the case for the Congolese candidate, Firmin Édouard Matoko, currently UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations. Backed by his country’s government, Matoko is on a diplomatic tour to secure the votes needed to lead this international organization.

Jonasson Odigène
Par Jonasson Odigène
05 Aug 2025 | Lecture : 4 min.

With over three decades at UNESCO, including several years in strategic leadership positions, Firmin Édouard Matoko is no stranger to the institution. He is fully committed to winning the elections. “UNESCO is first and foremost an idea in the service of peace, an idea born in the aftermath of a devastating world conflict,” Matoko states in his vision statement. This historical reminder is the foundation of his candidacy. For him, as today’s world is fractured by tensions, exclusion, misinformation, and identity-base

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