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Comment: As Sayyad worked for UNESCO, content authored by them is not a secondary source. Devonian Wombat (talk) 01:02, 16 May 2026 (UTC)
Ahmed Sayyad | |
|---|---|
| أحمد الصيّاد | |
| Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Cooperation, UNESCO | |
| In office 18 April 1996 – 30 June 2010 | |
| President of the General Conference of UNESCO | |
| In office 1993–1995 | |
| Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Yemen to UNESCO | |
| In office 1987–1996 | |
| Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Yemen to UNESCO | |
| In office 2013–2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 November 1952 Radaa, Yemen |
| Died | 26 July 2021 (aged 68) Paris, France |
| University of Baghdad; University of Montpellier | |
| Occupation | Diplomat, academic, writer |
Ahmed Sayyad (25 November 1952 – 26 July 2021) was a Yemeni diplomat and senior international civil servant who served in several high-level positions at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), including President of the 27th General Conference (1993–1995) and Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Cooperation (1996–2010).[1]
He played a role in early institutional initiatives related to the Culture of Peace within UNESCO.[2]
Early life and education
editAhmed Sayyad was born on 25 November 1952 in Radaa, Yemen. He died on 26 July 2021 in Paris, France.[3]
He earned a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Baghdad in 1974. He later completed graduate studies at the University of Montpellier, obtaining a master's degree (DEA) in Political Science (1977), a Doctorate in Political Science (1979), and a PhD in law (1981).
Diplomatic career
editAmbassador and Permanent Delegate (1987–1996)
editPresident of the 27th General Conference (1993–1995)
editAssistant Director-General (1996–2010)
editIn 1996, Sayyad was appointed Assistant Director-General for External Relations under Director-General Federico Mayor.
His appointment and responsibilities are documented in UNESCO archives.[8]
He continued in the role under Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, overseeing external relations and extrabudgetary cooperation.[9]
From 2010 to 2012, he served as Special Adviser for the Arab Region to Director-General Irina Bokova.
Second term as Ambassador (2013–2019)
editSayyad returned as Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Yemen to UNESCO from 2013 to 2019. During this period, he chaired the Group of 77 + China at UNESCO.
He was also interviewed on issues concerning Yemen and regional politics.[10]
Publications
editDistinctions
editSayyad received several honors, including:
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (France)[13]
- Ordre National du Mérite (Tunisia)
Personal life
editHe was fluent in Arabic, English and French. He died in Paris on 26 July 2021.[14]
References
edit- ↑ "Presidents of the General Conference". UNESCO. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "140 EX/28 – Culture of Peace". UNESCO. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "Ahmed Sayyad – Death record". MatchID. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ Yearbook of the United Nations 1991. United Nations. 1991. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "UNESCO Executive Board – 140 EX/28". UNESCO Digital Library. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "27th Session of the General Conference". UNESCO Digital Library. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "Address by Mr. Ahmed Saleh Sayyad, President of the General Conference of UNESCO". Policy Commons. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "UNESCO Documentation Archive". UNESCO Digital Library. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "UNESCO Official Record". UNESCO Digital Library. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "Saudi Arabia, UAE 'inclined towards dividing Yemen'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "L'UNESCO : Une vision pour le 21e siècle". Institut national du service public. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "UNESCO Reaches Out to Parliamentarians" (PDF). Canadian Parliamentary Review. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "UNESCO – Ordres et distinctions". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
death_recordwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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