UNWTO Chief expected today

UNITED Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General Taleb Rifai will arrive in Zimbabwe today in readiness for 20th session of the General Assembly which starts this weekend.
UNWTO liaison officer for Zambia in Spain Percy Ngwira said Mr Rifai would arrive at Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls International Airport around 12:30 hours.
He said at a media briefing in Livingstone yesterday that apart from Mr Rifai, UNWTO regional director for Africa Ousmane Ndiaye and UNWTO deputy regional director for Africa Helder Thomas were also expected to arrive today around the same time in Zambia at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone.
UNWTO chief of communications Sandra Carvao, chief of Cabinet Marian Elizabeth Maccoll and principal media officer Marcelo Risi would arrive in Livingstone tomorrow together with directors for the African Region.
Ms Carvao would be coordinating the media in Zambia and Zimbabwe during the conference.
UNWTO executive director for member relations and services Zoltan Somogyi arrived in Livingstone on Monday.
The official opening ceremony and the welcome dinner would be held at Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe on Sunday on August 25, 2013.
Zambian President Michael Sata, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Mr Rifai would speak during the opening ceremony.
On Saturday, there would be special events on the Zambian side as well as the programme and budget committee meeting in the morning.
In the afternoon of the same day, there would be a Regional Commission for Africa (CAF) meeting as well as the Regional Commission for Americas (CAM) and World Bank Study presentations in addition to special events.
The agenda would include the election of the President and Vice President of the General Assembly.
Delegates would also appoint the Secretary General for the period 2014 to 2017 on the recommendation of the Executive Council.
Elections would also be held for auditors for 2014 to 2015 as well as for members of the UNWTO Staff Pension Committee for 2014 to 2015.
Other items on the agenda include the state of the global tourism industry and mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda, implementation of the general programme of work for 2012 to2013 and draft programme and budget of the organisation for 2014 to 2015.
Delegates would also discuss the UNWTO in the United Nations system, report on the programme of the reform of the organisation, and report of the chair of the affiliate members.
They would also deliberate the report of the credentials committee, report of the Executive Council to the General Assembly and activities of the World Committee on tourism ethics among, other items.