adminFreedom Mupanedemo
NEXT month the executive council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation meets in Egypt to receive nominations for candidates to replace outgoing secretary-general Dr Taleb Rifai. So far, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Walter Mzembi, is the only one who has openly shown interest and by the end of the nomination court, the world will know the other candidates, if any.
The UNWTO is an organ of the United Nations responsible for tourism, just like the World Health Organisation is responsible for health, and has never been run by an African, since its inception in 1975.
But Africa has shown its intention for the post for the first time since its inception in 1975 by waging a united front and sounding their collective interest by endorsing one candidate, Dr Walter Mzembi.
Much to Dr Mzembi’s boost, the African Union (AU) unanimously endorsed his candidature at its summit in Rwanda last month and with 10 African countries in the UNWTO executive council, it means Dr Mzembi might already have bagged 10 votes.
If Dr Mzembi eventually finds his way to the helm of the UNWTO, Africa would have indeed scored a first.
A clear signal on how the bloc has come of age, forging a united front in search of a voice not only on how the world’s tourism matrix should be shaped but also other drivers of the economy like politics, industry and trade.
Yes, Dr Mzembi has so far run part of this long race to the UNWTO because it was through hard work, coupled with a great deal of lobbying that led to his nomination first by his government, SADC and then the AU.
This did not come on a silver platter.
With the AU blessings, Dr Mzembi has embarked on a worldwide campaign for the top job and up to date, there has not been any sharpish reactions to his campaign from other continents.
Recently, Dr Mzembi took his campaign to Egypt where he received a major boost to his cause after the Egyptian government reaffirmed their full support of his candidature to the top post.
The idea by Dr Mzembi to start his long journey to Madrid, Spain (the headquarters of the UNWTO), by visiting Egypt was strategically on point, as Egypt has greater stranglehold on the largely Arab world in the Middle East.
As it stands, the odds are highly weighing in favour of Dr Mzembi because no other continent has so far dared to openly declare its interests to throw in a candidate to challenge Dr Mzembi.
Not even China, which is host to the May 2017 UNWTO general assembly where the secretary general post is up for grabs.
This means Dr Mzembi and indeed Africa has a chance with only ghostly contenders in the ring.
As we count down to the nomination date in weeks to come, Africa is holding its breath as it waits to know which region will finally throw in the hat into the ring for a challenge to Dr Mzembi.
So a united Africa no doubt is likely to conquer the world and Dr Mzembi presents the best chance for Africa to have a voice.
In Dr Mzembi, we have the best candidate for the UNWTO not only in the African eye but even in the broader sense.
Online Reporter