By BRIAN HATYOKA –

ZAMBIA’S Ambassador to France, Humphrey Chibanda has presented his letters of credence to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General Taleb Rifai as permanent representative to the United Nations specialised agency for tourism.
Ambassador Chibanda has become the First Zambian permanent representative to the UNWTO and one of the first official diplomats from UNWTO member states to officially hand in the letters of credence to the secretary general since a new headquarters agreement was signed between Spain and the World Tourism Organisation on June 25 last year.
This is according to a Press statement released yesterday by Zambia’s first secretary for tourism Percy Ngwira.
The development has presented UNWTO member states an opportunity to appoint ambassadors and permanent representatives of the organisation.
In keeping with the prevailing practice within the United Nations system, the agreement provided for the possibility of member countries to establish permanent missions and to appoint permanent representatives to the UNWTO as provided for in the new text of the agreement under articles 25, 26 and 27.
Mr Chibanda conveyed special greetings from President Edgar Lungu as well as cordial greetings from Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata and from the people of Zambia.
The ambassador expressed the importance of the tourism and arts sector in economic development.
Mr Chibanda informed the secretary general that Zambia had for the past five years embarked on economic diversification to move away from dependence on copper.
“That in the diversification programme, tourism is one of the sectors that the Government has identified to be key. Therefore, Government has resolved to transform the tourism’s arts sector into a viable and sustainable industry capable of significantly contributing to the national GDP, Job creation and, above all, poverty reduction,” Mr Ngwira, who is also Zambia’s liaison officer to the UNWTO, said.
Ambassador Chibanda assured Dr Rifai that Zambia would remain a committed member of the UNWTO and that the country shall continue making meaningful contributions to the objectives of the organisation as an ordinary member as well as a member of the Executive Council.
He assured the secretary general that Zambia would continue to adhere to the UNWTO’s global code of ethics for tourism in the development of the sector.
Dr Rifai recognised the fact that the effectiveness of permanent missions and representatives in strengthening ties and coordination between an international organisation and its member states could be overstated.
The UNWTO chief said tourism development had the potential to profoundly energise relations between the UNWTO and its member countries.