Why I Want To Head UNESCO – Matoko

A campaigner for the presumption of director-general (DG) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Firmin Édouard Matoko has stated that helium possesses the cardinal to unlocking the imaginable for improvement crossed assorted continents.

Speaking during a virtual property league wherever helium outlined his plans for UNESCO, Matoko, fluent successful French, English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and presently learning Swahili, called connected African presidents and leaders to enactment his candidacy.

“We person antithetic mechanisms to mobilise resources for the improvement of divers continents,” Matoko said, adding that these resources volition travel done voluntary contributions.
Born connected 17 February 1956 successful Brazzaville, the superior of the Republic of Congo, Matoko, with a Congolese begetter and a Vietnamese mother, embodies taste dialog and cosmopolitan quality values.

Having joined UNESCO successful 1990 and followed a unsocial vocation path, rising done the ranks to clasp 1 of the organisation’s astir prestigious positions, Matoko revealed that they person successfully mobilised resources to tally the organisation by looking inward.

Matoko began astatine the Regional Bureau for Education successful Africa successful Dakar arsenic an subordinate adept successful education, funded by an Italian authorities practice programme. He past moved to the UNESCO office successful Paris, wherever helium joined a multidisciplinary squad liable for financing issues successful the acquisition sector.
Between 1994 and 2003, helium directed respective programmes that promoted a civilization of peace, acquisition for quality rights, democracy, and cosmopolitan values.

Convinced that the lone way to sustainable improvement is that of peace, Matoko has implemented galore initiatives successful education, the civilization of peace, and quality rights, and was 1 of the main architects of UNESCO’s transdisciplinary programme for a civilization of peace, carrying retired missions successful respective countries crossed Africa, Latin America, and Asia, including Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, Haiti, Iraq, Cambodia, and Mali.

“We volition rise our resources done voluntary contributions,” Matoko said erstwhile asked however helium would negociate the organisation amid cuts successful assistance from immoderate Western countries.

“We person succeeded successful securing resources due to the fact that we guarantee radical spot the benefits of looking inward. To assistance successful the improvement of Africa, we indispensable research Africa, its people, companies, and organisations,” Matoko stated.

“For the African continent, we indispensable physique Africa for Africa. We indispensable collaborate with Asian countries—China, India, Indonesia, and others,” Matoko outlined his plans for occurrence astatine UNESCO if elected.

Discussing acquisition and different taste programmes, Matoko said helium would enactment with the authorities to follow the Nigerian acquisition model.

“We volition advocator for prime education. Educationally, Nigeria is progressing. We indispensable make it,” Matoko said, urging African leaders to enactment his ambition.

“UNESCO volition spouse with different African organisations if I americium fixed the opportunity. We tin make if we behaviour amended assessments with the 15 tract offices connected the continent. Let’s physique Africa for Africans. Let’s enactment together. It’s Africa donating to Africa,” Matoko explained, explaining however helium plans to rise resources for UNESCO projects.

Matoko envisions a caller UNESCO dynamic based connected cooperative solutions, planetary openness, and the transformative powers of education, science, culture, and communication.

An economist by training, a specializer successful planetary relations, a diplomat astatine heart, a committed thinker, and a antheral of some tract and vision. Matoko has devoted implicit 3 decades of his beingness to the work of UNESCO and the cosmopolitan ideals of peace, cooperation, and solidarity.

After graduating with honours successful economics and concern from La Sapienza University successful Rome, Matoko furthered his governmental subject and planetary relations studies astatine Cesare Alfieri University successful Florence earlier joining the prestigious Centre for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies successful Paris.

These high-level grooming courses gave him a coagulated knowing of planetary economical issues, geopolitical dynamics, and the strategical relation of planetary institutions.

In 2003, Matoko became the manager of respective UNESCO multi-country offices. He was appointed Director and Representative of UNESCO successful Bamako for Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, past successful Quito for Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

Matoko subsequently headed the UNESCO Representative Office successful Ethiopia and acted arsenic a liaison with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

In practice with the African Union, Matoko has contributed to the constitution of pan-African determination institutions specified a...