With the closing of nomination just after the ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin, it has been confirmed that Seven Candidates are now in the running for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO (United nations World Tourism Organisation).
The final list of candidates sees Armenia, Georgia and Korea over and above Brazil and Columbia as two candidates coming from South America, whereas Seychelles and Zimbabwe are the two candidates coming from the African Continent.
This UNWTO election is proving to be a first with so much interest. The Secretariat of the World Tourism Organization referring to decision CE/DEC/15(CIV) of the Executive Council at its 104th session (Luxor, Egypt, 30 October – 1 November 2016), on the procedure for the election of the Secretary-General, informed in regards to the election for the post of Secretary-General for the period 2018-2021, that as of 11 March 2017, 24:00 hours, Madrid time, the deadline for the submission of candidatures in accordance with the aforementioned decision, the following candidatures were complete and duly accompanied by the required documents (letter of the candidate, curriculum vitae, statement of policy and management intent and a certificate of good health signed by a recognized medical facility), along with the letter of support from the Government of the country endorsing a candidate:
Armenia:
Mr. Vahan Martirosyan submitted with the support of the Government of Armenia and received on 10 March 2017
Brazil:
Mr. Márcio Favilla submitted with the support of the Government of Brazil and received on 6 March 2017
Colombia:
Mr. Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente submitted with the support of the Government of Colombia and received on 6 March 2017
Georgia:
Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili submitted with the support of the Government of Georgia and received on 2 December 2016
Republic of Korea:
Mrs. Young-shim Dho submitted with the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea and received on 24 February 2017
Seychelles:
Mr. Alain St. Ange submitted with the support of the Government of Seychelles and received on 18 January 2017
Zimbabwe:
Mr. Walter Mzembi submitted with the support of the Government of Zimbabwe and received on 4 March 2017
The Secretariat received seven other applications which were not accompanied by the required documents. Consequently, the applications will not be submitted to the 105th session of the Executive Council.
The candidates official documents for the May 2017 elections were submitted to the UNWTO on the following dates (Listed in order of dates submitted):
Georgia: Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili on 2 December 2016
Seychelles: Mr. Alain St.Ange on 18 January 2017
Republic of Korea: Mrs. Young-shim Dho on 24 February 2017
Zimbabwe: Mr. Walter Mzembi on 4 March 2017
Brazil: Mr. Márcio Favilla on 6 March 2017
Colombia: Mr. Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente on 6 March 2017
Armenia: Mr. Vahan Martirosyan on 10 March 2017;
