Anne-Claire Legendre becomes first female president of Institut du monde arabe in Paris

Anne-Claire Legendre has been appointed as the President of the Institut du monde arabe (IMA) in Paris, becoming the first female leader of the organization. A seasoned diplomat with a wealth of knowledge in Middle Eastern issues, she was the Consul General of France in New York in 2016 and served as the French ambassador to Kuwait in 2020. Legendre, who is fluent in Arabic, graduated from the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations orientales (INALCO). From December 2023 to February 2026, she will be the adviser on North Africa and the Middle East to French President Emmanuel Macron. Her diplomatic history includes being a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry and contributing to France's support for Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly. This appointment marks a significant achievement for the cultural institution focused on Arab world relations.