This article attempts to shed light on what is meant by the statement that inclusive education is the core of the Education for All (EFA) agenda. Against the backdrop of some fundamental concerns relating to the EFA goals expressed by UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, the article highlights the necessity and pertinence of inclusive education within the EFA agenda. It also suggests how we can move the concept of inclusive education forward in this context, while illustrating some key features for our understanding of inclusive education as the core of EFA.