UNWTO 25th session of the General Assembly

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

The 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand was a significant event, marked by the robust participation of African nations. The assembly welcomed 1,100 participants from across the globe, with Africa contributing 121 delegates, a testament to the continent's active engagement and commitment to global tourism development.

African representation 

The African delegation was comprised of 116 representatives from 30 CAF Member States, showcasing the unity and diversity of our continent in the global tourism dialogue. The African presence was not only quantitative but also qualitative, with 30 delegations including 18 Ministers and 8 ambassadors, all contributing to the rich set of perspectives and insights. 

Elected and nominated African Member States for the UNWTO Statutory Organs and their Subsidiary Bodies  

The General Assembly saw the election of Algeria and the United Republic of Tanzania as Vice Presidents, with DRC and Zambia serving on the Credentials Committee. The Executive Council for the term 2023-2027 will include Ghana, DRC, Namibia, Nigeria, and Rwanda, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo notably being the first Executive Council vice Chair for 2024. 

The Regional Commission for Africa will be chaired by Mauritius, with Nigeria and Kenya as Vice-Chairs, ensuring that the continent's strategic interests are well-represented. The commitment to governance and oversight was further demonstrated with African representatives on the Programme & Budget Committee (Kenya, Morocco), Tourism & Sustainability (Kenya, Zimbabwe), Tourism and Competitiveness (Kenya, Zambia), and Statistics (Morocco, Seychelles). 

The Committee on matters related to the Affiliate Members will include Algeria as its African representative, while the Task Force on Resigning Tourism for the Future will benefit from the insights of Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal.  

High level panel discussions and interviews  

Panel discussions at the assembly featured prominent African voices, including H.E. Mr. Louis Sylvestre Radegonde at the "360 data approach to empower tourism" panel, H.E. Ms. Fatim-Zahra Ammor at the Global Investment Forum, and H.E. Mr. Rodney Sikumba at the Global Education Forum. 

Interviews on UNWTO technical assistance on the ground were conducted with the delegations of Angola, DRC, Morocco, Seychelles, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe provided a platform for African nations to share their unique tourism narratives, projects and strategies implemented with UNWTO. 

Adherence to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists 

Senegal's adherence to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) was represented by H.E. Mariame Sy, reinforcing the continent's dedication to secure and responsible tourism. 

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