The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Somalia, Daud Aweis Jama, held a high-level meeting with senior officials from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Riyadh, where the 26th General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization is currently underway.
The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the global tourism conference, brought together Minister Aweis, UNWTO Director for Africa Ms. Elcia Grandcourt, and UNWTO Director for International Relations Mr. Beka Jakeli.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Somalia and UNWTO, with an emphasis on rebuilding and modernizing Somalia’s tourism industry after years of disruption.
During the meeting, Minister Aweis shared an overview of the significant progress Somalia has made in reviving the tourism sector, noting that the Federal Government has prioritized tourism as a key pillar for economic diversification, job creation, and cultural preservation. He outlined Somalia’s national tourism strategy, which focuses on three main pillars:
1. Modernization and sustainability- developing eco-friendly and resilient tourism infrastructure.
2. Education and capacity building – creating specialized tourism training institutes to empower Somali youth and professionals.
3. International cooperation and marketing-strengthening partnerships to attract investment and promote Somalia’s image as an emerging destination in the Horn of Africa.
Minister Aweis emphasized that Somalia’s approach to tourism development aligns with the UNWTO’s broader goals of promoting inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven tourism. He expressed Somalia’s commitment to collaborating with international partners to achieve shared objectives in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
In his remarks, Minister Aweis also announced that the Somali government is preparing to launch tourism and hospitality institutes across key regions of the country. These institutions will offer structured training programs designed to build local capacity, enhance professional standards, and equip youth with the skills needed to participate in the growing global tourism economy.
The UNWTO officials commended the progress made by Somalia and welcomed the government’s renewed efforts to rebuild the sector.
They pledged technical and institutional support to Somalia, including collaboration on policy development, tourism education, destination marketing, and investment promotion.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to strengthen cooperation between Somalia and the UNWTO, with both parties agreeing to establish a framework for continued engagement and knowledge sharing.
Minister Aweis is representing Somalia at the 26th UNWTO General Assembly, which is being hosted for the first time by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The event brings together ministers, tourism experts, and policymakers from around the world to discuss the future of global tourism, marking a historic moment for the Gulf region as a host of this prestigious international gathering.
