UEMOA/ UNWTO Workshop on Safety and Security: Crisis Communication in the tourism sector

Africa
15 Jan 2024

Tourism is an ever-evolving sector, offering enormous potential for economic growth and development for Africa. However, to harness this potential fully, ensuring safety and security is paramount. It is within this framework that UNWTO, in partnership with UEMOA, organized a virtual workshop on "Safety and Security in Tourism in Africa", uniting over 50 participants from various African nations.

In their remarks, Mr. Jaime Mayaki, Director of the UNWTO Department for Technical Cooperation and Silk Road and Mr. Mamadù Serifo JAQUITE, Commissioner of the Department of Human Development at UEMOA, highlighted the importance of the event.

The workshop, expertly delivered by Mr. Louis Bernard, delved into crisis management, continuity planning, and safety best practices. It also introduced the "International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT)," designed to set international safety standards for tourists.

Crucially, the workshop emphasized the "White Paper on Safety and Security in the Tourism Sector," a collaborative effort of the UNWTO, AUDA-NEPAD, and UEMOA, aiming to establish security standards in African tourism.

Participants welcomed the workshop for its profound insights and hands-on exercises, recognizing the knowledge gained as pivotal for enhancing tourism safety. The training empowered attendees with the competencies and perspectives required to effectively address security challenges and foster regional cooperation.

Fostering Resilience (Safety + Security, Crisis Communication) is one of the key priorities embedded in the UNWTO Agenda for Africa – Tourism for Inclusive Growth, aimed to strengthening Africa's tourism sector and its potential to drive economic prosperity.

In pursuit of the UNWTO commitment to offer this training to all African Member States, an English session was held on 30 November & 1 December 2023.