Casa África participates in the WTO Commission for Africa held in Abidjan

The director general of Casa África, Luis Padrón, is currently participating in the 58th Commission of the World Tourism Organisation for Africa, held in the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, chaired by the organisation’s Secretary General, Taleb Rifai. Opened by the prime minister of the Ivory Coast, Daniel Kablan Duncan, this initiative has also become a sign of support to the country after the Grand Bassam attacks last March and the chance to personally deliver an open letter from the WTO to the president of the Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, highlighting the importance of tourism for the sustainable and balanced development of a country.

Tourism ministers and industry representatives from the public and private sections of the sector are in the Ivory Coast this week in order to reflect on sustainable methods of consumption and production, consistent with the development of tourism, respectful of the environment and ensuring the welfare of the population. According to the Ivory Coast’s minister of tourism, Roger Kacou, this is essentially “to ensure the sound management of natural resources by creating wealth to support sustainable economic growth, fight against poverty and work for the fulfilment of the current population and future generations”.

Luis Padrón participated in the previous WTO Commission for Africa, held last year in Colombia, at which a joint Casa África/WTO publication on the state of tourism in Africa was presented. Casa África has maintained a dynamic and constant relationship with the WTO for years, ratified again earlier this year in Madrid with the signing of the collaboration agreement for the organisation of a new edition of Investour, the Forum for Tourism Investment and Business in Africa, the eighth organised with FITUR by Casa África and the WTO.