UNESCO achievements and priorities, according to its director general

In a keynote address at its general conference in Paris this week, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova summarized what she considered to be the agency's main achievements over the past two years. These include efforts towards ending illicit trafficking in cultural relics, enforcing economic sanctions on the so-called Islamic State, rebuilding world heritage sites in Mali, advancing education for the most vulnerable and strengthening youth resilience.

Looking ahead, UNESCO priorities are not so different from other UN agencies dependent on continuing support from increasingly accountability-focussed member states. In short, the agency committed to pursuing ongoing organizational reform, especially in relation to transparency, structure, partnerships and leadership.