Former French culture minister Audrey Azoulay was selected to head the embattled UN cultural agency Unesco after defeating her Qatari rival by two votes in a cliffhanger election on Friday.

Azoulay, 49, came from behind after six rounds of voting to defeat Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari, also a former culture minister, by 30 votes to 28 after he failed to pick up support from other Gulf states that are part of a Saudi-led coalition boycotting Qatar.

Azoulay succeeds outgoing Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, whose eight-year term was marred by financial woes and criticism over Palestine's inclusion as a member.

On Thursday, the US and Israel said they plan to pull out of the Paris-based organisation over its perceived anti-Israel bias.

Source: Khaleej Times