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Isdore Guvamombe Zimtravel Editor
ZIMBABWE, with the support of its regional, continental and international allies has reportedly started positioning Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi to take over the helm of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation when it falls vacant in 2017. The UNWTO, whose stature is at the level of the World Health Organisation has its headquarters in Madrid, Spain and is the world’s most powerful tourism board.
The incumbent secretary general Mr Talib Rifai is the former Jordanian Minister of Finance and his term expires in 2017.
Asked for comment yesterday, Minister Mzembi, who apparently is the longest serving tourism minister in the UNWTO member states, would neither deny no confirm ambitions in that direction.
“Who told you that? I hope you are not trying to get rid of me from the internal political mathematics.
“However, I am a servant of Zimbabwe, dedicated to serving my country and if my principal, His Excellency President Mugabe assigns me to do that I will unquestionably take it up.
“There has been that small talk in the world tourism family and maybe, the talk is getting louder and louder as we move towards 2015 UNWTO general assembly which announces Mr Rifai’s final term that subsequently ends in 2017. I will, however, take my cue from my principal, the President’’ he said.
Sources said Engineer Mzembi’s nomination is expected to be deposited with the organisation’s executive council at the 2015 UNWTO general assembly in Columbia.
But Government sources yesterday said lobbying started within the UNWTO membership soon after Zimbabwe successfully co-hosted, with Zambia the 2013 UNWTO General Assembly in Victoria Falls, declared by Mr Rifai as the best in the history of the organisation.
According to the sources, thereafter, there has also been lobbying in Sadc, where Engineer Mzembi chairs the council of Ministers of Tourism and has been credited for saving the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) from collapsing.
Eng Mzembi who has been sitting in the executive council of UNWTO since 2009, is highly respected in the world tourism circles, where he has established himself as an eloquent and sought-after public speaker, visionary and hands-on minister.
Zimbabwe, the source said, will be using its various current world positions to leverage and promote Eng Mzembi’s ascendancy to the helm of UNWTO.
“Remember, Zimbabwe is at its most powerful political footing in the world by virtue of President Mugabe being Sadc chair and African Union vice-chair.
“Zimbabwe is currently the co-president of UNWTO, with Zambia. (Eng) Mzembi himself is the president of Africa Travel Association based in United States of America. Mzembi also chairs the UNWTO Commission for Africa.
“He is a registered academic with the European Council Of Tourism, a board member of the influential Berlin Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, and was recently admitted to the London Speakers Bureau.
“All that makes him an internationally accepted candidate for the UNWTO general assembly,’’ said the source.
According to the UNWTO elections guidelines entitled: “Procedure and Calendar for the Election of the Secretary-General of the Organisation for the period 2014-2017”, a candidate for the post of secretary general will have to be nominated by his country and the country should be a member state of the UNWTO.
Online Reporter