On 15 August, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha met with Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) Shaikha Al Nowais, who is visiting Ukraine.

During the meeting, the sides discussed further development of cooperation between Ukraine and UN Tourism, expanding the Organization’s activities in Ukraine, and leveraging its expertise and opportunities to support the development of Ukraine’s tourism sector.

Andrii Sybiha stressed that Ukraine has much to show the world and that its tourism potential remains far from fully explored. According to the Acting Minister, the development of tourism will be an important component of Ukraine’s recovery, contributing to an increase in the number of tourists, the creation of new jobs, and the development of local communities.

“We are grateful to the United Nations for its practical support for humanitarian response and Ukraine’s development, as well as for strengthening our institutional capacities. At the same time, we must already be expanding cooperation in areas that will play an important role in the country’s recovery. Tourism is one of them. I am convinced that the knowledge and expertise of UN Tourism will help Ukraine unlock more of its tourism potential and contribute to the development of the sector,” the Minister for Foreign Affairs stressed.

The sides paid particular attention to educational and professional opportunities for Ukrainians through UN Tourism programmes. Andrii Sybiha thanked UN Tourism for its decision to provide 500 scholarships for Ukrainians to study at the UN Tourism Online Academy. The Ukrainian side will determine the allocation of the scholarships in line with current priorities and needs. The Minister stressed that investing in people, their knowledge and skills is an investment in the future of Ukrainian tourism, and expressed interest in further expanding this practical cooperation with UN Tourism.

“Ukraine has enormous tourism potential, which the world is only beginning to discover. We count on an active role by UN Tourism and are ready to expand our cooperation through concrete new projects in different regions of Ukraine,” Andrii Sybiha concluded.