Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt elected chair of UNESCO’s top sports policy committee
Egypt has taken a significant step onto the world stage in sport and youth development, as Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, has been unanimously elected as Chair of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS). The election, conducted at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, marks the first time an Egyptian has held this distinguished United Nations position.
The vote, which included delegates from 18 member states representing six global geographical groups, saw complete consensus in support of Dr. Sobhy’s leadership. Egypt’s Ambassador to Paris and Head of the Permanent Mission to UNESCO, Ambassador Tarek Dahrouj, participated in the formal proceedings.
CIGEPS is the United Nations system’s primary body for sports and physical education, driving policy and international cooperation to promote sport as a vital tool for sustainable development, inclusion, education, and peace. As Chair, Dr. Sobhy will spearhead global efforts to advance inclusive sport policies, develop international standards, and coordinate between member states and international organizations.
Dr. Sobhy expressed profound gratitude for the international community’s trust, emphasizing that this new global responsibility enhances—rather than replaces—his national role as Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports. He extended special thanks to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for ongoing support in empowering Egypt’s youth and amplifying the country’s influence in international forums.
The CIGEPS committee’s executive members now include representatives from the United Kingdom (Western Europe and Others), Kenya (Africa), Costa Rica (Latin America and Caribbean), Cook Islands (Asia and the Pacific), Slovenia/Croatia (Eastern Europe, by rotation), and Egypt (Arab States).
“This historic win positions Egypt as a leader in global sports policy,” Dr. Sobhy said, noting that his tenure aims to spotlight CIGEPS’s work, build impactful partnerships, and reinforce sport as an engine of development, peace, and social inclusion worldwide.
The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports also acknowledged the robust collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Emigration in achieving this milestone, underscoring it as a turning point for Egypt’s role in international sports diplomacy.
As the world looks to the power of sport to unite and empower, Egypt’s leadership at the helm of CIGEPS is set to play a transformative role in shaping the future of global youth, physical education, and inclusive sport for all.