Riyadh, (SONNA) — The Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Da’ud Aweis Jama, delivered remarks at a ministerial roundtable attended by African Tourism Ministers in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, held alongside the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly.
Minister Aweis highlighted Somalia’s growing progress in revitalizing its tourism sector and reaffirmed the country’s readiness to contribute to Africa’s shared vision for a sustainable and inclusive tourism industry. He emphasized the importance of environmental protection, knowledge development, and community-based economic growth.
The Minister also called for greater intra-African connectivity through simplified visa processes, enhanced air services, and stronger people-to-people exchange to expand tourism markets across the continent.
Minister Da’ud noted that Somalia is open for tourism investment, citing the Federal Government’s national research initiative aimed at modernizing tourism services, upgrading heritage sites, and strengthening skills and training in the sector.
The 26th UN Tourism General Assembly, hosted for the first time by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marks the 50th anniversary of the UN Tourism Organization and focuses on shaping the next 50 years of global tourism development.
