Riyadh, (SONNA) — The Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Da’ud Aweis Jama, held a meeting in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with senior officials from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the sidelines of the 26th UNWTO General Assembly.
The Minister met with Ms. Elcia Grandcourt, UNWTO Director for Africa, and Mr. Beka Jakeli, Director for International Relations. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Somalia and the UNWTO in advancing Somalia’s tourism sector and promoting sustainable tourism development.
“Met with Elcia Grandcourt and Beka Jakeli of UNWTO to advance Somalia’s tourism education. We identified priority training areas and current learning needs to ensure our programs support national and regional development goals,” Minister Da’ud said.
Minister Aweis briefed the UNWTO officials on Somalia’s growing tourism services and the Federal Government’s policies aimed at revitalizing and modernizing the sector. He emphasized Somalia’s commitment to aligning with UNWTO’s goals of expanding tourism education and skills development to create job opportunities for youth.
He also announced plans by the Somali Government to establish tourism and hospitality training institutes across various levels to build professional capacity in the sector.
The UNWTO officials welcomed Somalia’s progress in reviving tourism and pledged to work closely with the Federal Government to support its efforts toward developing a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry.
Minister Jama is attending the 26th UNWTO General Assembly in Riyadh, hosted for the first time by a Gulf country under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
