A brave UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili yesterday called for Russia to be removed as a member of the Welt Tourismus Organisatioun, although he may be accused of a conflict of interest given the centrality of his native country Georgia getting tangled into the current Ukraine conflict.
WTN gratuléiert UNWTO yesterday for reacting timely to this crisis as suggested by the World Tourism Network when calling earlier for industry leaders to speak with a United Voice and Smart Guidance for World Peace.
Wéi virgeschloen vun World Tourism Network (WTN), UNWTO should continue focusing also on communicating that tourism is a Guardian of World Peace.
Natierlech, UNWTO Membere si Regierunge vertruede vu Ministeren vum Tourismus. Déi UNWTO ass eng Agentur vun der ëffentlecher Diplomatie a soll Leit-zu-Leit Engagement oder Biergerdiplomatie profitéieren fir a Russland ze regéieren.
World Tourism Network VP Walter Mzembi, who was a candidate for UNWTO Secretary-General in 2018 said:
- Virun der Suspension, UNWTO soll eng Friddensmissioun a Russland ernennen fir mat der Administratioun a Russland ze plädéieren an d'Noutwennegkeet vum Fridden als Underwriter vun erfollegräichen Reesen an Tourismus ze gesinn. Dëst kann eng besser Approche sinn amplaz eng opdeelend Positioun ze huelen, wat d'Organisatioun op Meenung a schlussendlech och kierperlech opdeele kéint.
- Zweetens, d'Suspension vun engem Member ass eng politesch Decisioun déi net onbedéngt bei den Tourismusministere läit a méi breet Consultatioun mat Heemregierungen erfuerdert. Gläichzäiteg UNWTO selwer ass en Deel vum UNO Cabinet. Et kann net unilateral handelen, während Russland selwer direkt am Sécherheetsrot mat Veto-Muecht sëtzt.
UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashville must designate a special envoy to handle and balance this assignment and recuse himself personally because of what he may be otherwise accused of – a conflict of interest.
Mzembi’s advice to Pololikashville is: Follow due process rules and recuse yourself.
WTN agrees with the principle of sanctioning an errant member State but is questioning the process, the methodology, and whether current UNWTO statutes speak to political censure.
If they are silent then it will bring the mover under the spotlight, rather become part of concurrent UN action instead of plunging the UNWTO into political space.
Eng prominent WTN Board member, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, who was an assistant Secretary-General of UNWTO had this to add:
Lipman said from his home in Brussels, Belgium:
Another approach would be time for the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to rejoin UNWTO and help apply punitive tourism sanctions.
d' World Tourism Network, as a US-headquartered entity may want to lobby for this with the Secretary of State and the US Secretary of Commerce.
Tourism is probably 5-10% of the Russian economy.
WAT VUN DESEN ARTIKEL WEI HUELEN:
- A brave UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili yesterday called for Russia to be removed as a member of the World Tourism Organization, although he may be accused of a conflict of interest given the centrality of his native country Georgia getting tangled into the current Ukraine conflict.
- Virun der Suspension, UNWTO soll eng Friddensmissioun a Russland ernennen fir mat der Administratioun a Russland ze plädéieren an d'Noutwennegkeet vum Fridden als Underwriter vun erfollegräichen Reesen an Tourismus ze gesinn.
- d' World Tourism Network, as a US-headquartered entity may want to lobby for this with the Secretary of State and the US Secretary of Commerce.
