Ghana’s Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku, has been appointed as Chairperson of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Leadership Taskforce Group.

The announcement was made at the first meeting of the Leadership Taskforce which took place on January 25, 2019, at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain.

Her new appointment outlines her utter involvement in tourism not just in Ghana but in the world at large.

A letter signed by the General Secretary of the United Nation World Tourism Organisation, Zurab Pololikashvili, and addressed to Madam Afeku stated, “It is with great pleasure that I have learned of your unanimous appointment as Chairperson for the Leadership Taskforce Group”

Mr Pololikashvili added that “I would like to convey to you my warmest congratulations and I wish you every success and personal satisfaction in your new responsibilities as Chairperson for the upcoming mandate of two years.”

He further expressed optimism in Madam Afeku’s appointed adding that “I personally look forward to the collaboration between UNWTO and Ghana for the Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Africa in the Tourism Sector, which is scheduled to be hosted in Accra, Ghana from 25-27 November 2019.”

The UNWTO congress, he explained will play a crucial role for Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which aims to ‘achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

It will also address one of the key priorities of the UNWTO Africa agenda on Empowering Youth and Women through Tourism linked to SDGs 5, 8, 10.

Reacting to her the appointment, Madam Catherine Afeku, expressed excitement on her new role.

“I feel very honoured, humbled and elated to be appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Leadership Taskforce Group. 

"The appointment means a lot to me as the Tourism Minister because it will help in my continued efforts in propagating Ghana’s rich culture as I continue to work with my other colleagues from other countries around the World” she said.