UNWTO İcra Şurası Zambiyaya təşkilatda yeni liderlik rolu verir

Minister of Tourism and Arts Hon. Charles Romel Banda MP has once again pushed for more Zambia’s leadership role in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Today at its 107th Session meeting held in Chengdu, China at the close of its 22nd Session General Assembly, Zambia was elected as Chair of the Executive Council for the year 2019. Further, the 107th Executive Council session unanimously returned Zambia’s role as 1st Vice Chair of the Council for the year 2018 before assuming the chairship of the UNWTO governing board in 2019.

Zambia becomes the first country in the history of the UNWTO to be granted a leadership in the Executive Council for a 3-year consecutive period.

In 2015 at its 21st Session General Assembly held in Medellin Columbia, Zambia was elected into the Executive Council for a period ending 2019. This came after 30 years of not being part of the UNWTO governing Board. In 2016 at its 104th Executive Council Session held in Luxor Egypt, Zambia was elected as 1st Vice Chair of the Council for the year 2017.

Speaking in Chengdu, China, after being granted this leadership role Hon. Banda stated that, this was a great achievement for the country and will ensure Zambia adds a voice to the development of tourism in the world.
And Hon. Banda has said the decision by the 107th Executive Council meeting to return Zambia as the 1st Vice Chair of the Council provides Zambia with an opportunity to have a vital role in the assembling of the new team at the UNWTO Secretariat as the new Secretary-General elect Amb. Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia assumes office in January, 2018.

Minister Banda added that with renewed madate as 1st Vice Chair of the Council, Zambia will play a leadership role as the UNWTO embarks on reforms in the organisation as decided by the 106th Session Eexcutive Council. At its 106th Session Executive Council meeting the Council decided to embark on reforms that will strengthen the rules of procedures of the organisation, a task that starts in 2018.

On the Executive Council Council’s decision to elect Zambia as Chair of the Council for the 2019, Hon. Banda said this signifies the confidence that the Council has in Zambia’s leadership in the organisation. As Chair of the Council for the year 2019, Zambia will preside over the holding of the 23rd Session General Assembly to be held in St. Petersburg in the Russian Federation.

And Zambia’s Ambassador to France who is also the Permanent Representative to the UNWTO stated that he was delighted for these two new leadership roles the Executive Council has given to Zambia in the UNWTO.

Ambassador Chibanda has reiterated that in line with Zambia’s quest to increase the presence in international diplomacy Zambia shall continue seeking to provide leadership in various international organizations.

And that in her quest for sustainable economic development, Zambia shall continue to explore and leverage economic diplomacy that will benefit most Zambians and contribute to poverty alleviation by strengthening her presence in multilateral organisations such as UNWTO given that tourism is a key sector in Zambia`s economic development.

The Hon. Minister and the delegation are expected back in Zambia on 18 th September 2017.