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By Ngozi Nwoke
As the United Nations (UN) clocks 80 years of existence and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) marks eight decades of driving peace and development across the globe, renowned media and tech entrepreneur Amadou Mahtar Ba has thrown his weight behind Firmin Edouard Matoko for the position of UNESCO Director-General.
In a statement, Ba noted that the world is currently navigating through profound changes amidst rising geopolitical tensions, social crises, climate emergencies, and increasing intolerance.
He stressed that this pivotal moment calls for equipping multilateral institutions like the UN and UNESCO with a forward-looking vision to steer transformation and ensure peace isn’t just declared on paper but secured through practical actions in classrooms, labs, cultural spaces, and communication networks connecting people worldwide.
Ba highlighted the emerging challenge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) –
a tech revolution with promises for education, research, and creativity but also risks of widening divides between nations, deepening inequalities, or becoming a manipulation tool.
“Now, more than ever, UNESCO must stand as the global forum where ethical principles and safeguards are established — ensuring that AI serves peace and equity rather than division and domination,” Ba emphasised.
According to Ba, UNESCO, with its founding ethos that “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed,” is uniquely positioned to guide societies through this AI transition.
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He noted that UNESCO must act as an ethical sentinel, a catalyst for cooperation, and a hub for training to ensure all communities benefit from and contribute to innovation.
Ba described Firmin Edouard Matoko as the “ideal candidate” for UNESCO DG, citing Matoko’s decades of experience shaping the organisation, advancing intercultural dialogue, and promoting education for social transformation.
“Supporting his candidacy is to affirm that UNESCO, at 80, must renew its founding commitment: building peace in the minds of men and women,” Ba stated.
A leader in African media and tech with over four decades of experience across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the US, Ba chairs AllAfrica Global Media.
He has served on international bodies shaping global futures.
