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Costa Rica will form part of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) as a result of being elected today as a holding member, for a period of four years, in the frame of the General Assembly of this organism which is taking place in Dakar, Senegal.
Rodrigo A. Castro Fonseca, Minister of Tourism, pointed out from Dakar “that this designation is going to help us strengthen our image and international relations; it must also be considered as an acknowledgment to the leading role Costa Rica has played in the region, mainly for its positioning as a destination and having promoted a responsible tourism development.”
In this election our country counted with the unanimous support of all the representatives of the Committee for the Americas (CAM). Concerning this Castro indicated “in the field of tourism, our region has worked in an integrated fashion, thanks to the labor performed by the Central American Council of Tourism”.
For America were also elected Argentina, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The latter two countries will share the period of two years. The two other American representatives are Canada and Peru which were elected during the mid-term assembly.
Within the WTO, Costa Rica has already occupied other important charges, for example the presidency and vice-presidency of the Committee for the Americas (CAM) as well as the Presidency of the Committee for Sustainable Development.
The World Tourism Organization is an organ related to the United Nations’ system created in 1975. Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain. Its main objective is the promotion of tourism development envisioned as a contribution to economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity, universal respect and observance of human rights as well as the fundamental liberties for all, regardless of any distinction based on race, sex, language or religion.
The WTO’ s Executive Council of which Costa Rica is now a part, has as mission adopting, in consultation with the General Secretary, all the measures necessary to comply with its own decisions and the General Assembly’s resolutions.
The coming General Assembly of the WTO (half term) will take place in 2007 in Cartagena, Colombia.
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