Zimpapers Logo

Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix —
ZIMBABWE is revered the world over for its high literacy rate and consequently it has become a labour force market for many countries regionally and internationally.

Zimbabweans are renowned for their hard work, resilience, intelligence, composure and non-violent nature. Well, that is a big brand on the international labour market.

Today one of our own, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Dr Walter Mzembi has set his eyes on one of the world’s top jobs; that of the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

The campaign needs serious funding from both Government and the corporate world because other countries whose candidates are in the race have poured in serious money.

Dr Mzembi has the depth, the charisma and the intellect but without serious funding his campaign will remain a joke.

So far he has been struggling with finances and there is urgent need to come up with a serious and sustainable funding regime.

The post falls vacant in May 2017, when the incumbent and former Jordanian Minister of Finance, Dr Talib Rifai’s term expires.

Dr Mzembi, was according to UNWTO statute dictates, cleared and nominated by the Government of Zimbabwe to run for the post and his candidature was subsequently endorsed first by Sadc and then by African Union as the sole candidate. In the aftermath of the AU endorsement there has been an avalanche of endorsements from a multifarious array of local and international stand-alone organisations, making Dr Mzembi a favourite for the job.

Dr Mzembi, will fight it out with Mr Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia, Márcio Favilla Lucca de Paula of Brazil, Mrs Gloria Guevara of Mexico, Mr Alain St Ange of Seychelles and Mr Lahcen Haddad of Morocco.

St Ange and Haddad are regarded spoilers who want to divide the African vote, through sponsorship from some European countries, in direct breach of AU statutes. Especially in the case of St Ange!

It is therefore, high time that we fully support Dr Mzembi to all but clinch the prestigious job that will not give only Zimbabwe but Africa and the world at large, the much needed thought leadership.

Since 2009, when he was appointed Minister of Tourism, Dr Mzembi has distinguished himself as a thoughtful leader and grandmaster of corporate governance who exudes unparalleled vision, wisdom and negotiation skills that saw Zimbabwe, co-host with Zambia, the 2013 UNWTO General Assembly, against the political and economic grain.

Suffice to say, that was the first ever time since the establishment of UNWTO in 1975 that the general assembly was held in Sub Saharan Africa. The other time it was held on African soil was in Senegal in 2007.

Africa has confidence in Dr Mzembi’s thought leadership, his depth of character and qualifications to win the UNWTO secretary general’s post.

Let us, in our various forms and beliefs support him for the job. He is our man. He can do it. It is our turn. It is time for Africa!

The countdown has started in earnest. Dr Mzembi launched his campaign last year with emphatic endorsements from Sadc and the African Union and a has been a lone figure in the race while running the campaign of a global pedestal but with the countdown starting, Dr Mzembi faces the biggest challenge from Zurab Márcio Favilla Lucca de Paula, the current UNWTO executive director for Operational Programmes and Institutional Relations and second in charge of the UNWTO.

Marcio has institutional knowledge which he can manipulate in his favour and has been running the organisation for more than half a year after outgoing Secretary General Dr Talib Rifai inexplicably stood down for him about a year before the election.

Analysts say Dr Rifai, an accomplished diplomat and former Minister of Finance of Jordan, stood down to give, his deputy, Marcio a head start. Last week Dr Mzembi successfully launched his official bid for the job in Madrid Spain. And so did the other candidates. Dr Mzembi needs strategic approach and funding for his project to succeed.