The UNWTO’s African member states unanimously endorsed the Windhoek Pledge on advocating Brand Africa.African ministers agree to work together to find a solution to revitalize Africa’s tourism.Under the terms of the Windhoek Pledge, members will engage both public and private sector stakeholders and local communities to build a new, inspiring narrative for tourism across the continent. African ministers have agreed to work together to find a solution for revitalizing Africa’s tourism hardly hit by COVID-19 impacts. The ministers made an announcement on Thursday in their joint communique at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Brand Africa Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia. The African ministers through the UNWTO summit pledged that African member states would work together to establish a new narrative for tourism across the continent. The pledge is meant to better realize tourism’s potential to drive recovery, they said through a joint communique. “UNWTO and its members will also work with the African Union and the private sector to promote the continent to new global audiences globally positive, people-centered storytelling and effective branding,” the UNWTO said in the communique. With tourism recognized as an essential pillar of sustainable and inclusive development for the Africa, UNWTO welcomed high-level delegates to the first Regional Conference on Strengthening Brand Africa. The conference featured participation of the political leadership of host country Namibia, alongside public and private sector leaders from across the continent. The UNWTO’s African member states unanimously endorsed the Windhoek Pledge on advocating Brand Africa. Under the terms of the Windhoek Pledge, members will engage both public and private sector stakeholders and local communities to build a new, inspiring narrative for tourism across the continent, Ministers said. The program of activities of the African Tourism Minister’s conference had included presentations, interactive discussion sessions, as well as technical visits organized by Namibia Tourism Board that hosted the event. The conference had covered five main objectives. The first objective was to leverage tourism as a cross-cutting sector with high impact on national and regional branding, to enhance the image of African destinations as the building blocks of the overall image of Africa. Second objective was to engage the public and the private sectors as well as local communities and the diaspora in promoting positive stories and experiences about Africa, developing synergies between countries to further strengthen the positioning of the continent. Third objective was to create and enhance destinations’ capacity and skills on brand development and management, marketing, including social media and storytelling, and effective communication. Fourth objective was to create compelling stories, enhance Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) capacity and competitiveness. The Fifth objective was to understand the policy framework in place for SMEs to secure loans and facilitate access to capital and leverage business performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenya Airways and Congo Airways to share African air routesThe agreement was signed late last weekKenya Airways customers now can access Congolese capital of Kinshasa directly from Nairobi Aiming to expand its flights to more African cities, Kenya Airways had partnered with Congo Airways to cover more routes and destinations in Africa through codesharing agreement. The deal to share African air routes was made at the time that the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) then held bilateral talks with President Félix Tshisekedi last week. The agreement, which was signed late last week will make it easier for the Kenya Airways customers to access the Congolese capital of Kinshasa directly from Nairobi then fly to other African and international routes jointly. Under such arrangement, Kenya Airways will be able to sell more seats sharing with Congo Airways, then expand its wings to cover more flight networks in Africa and outside the African continent, while offering their network coverage and markets in countries they operate. The partnership agreement was signed by Kenya Airways Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka and the Congo Airways CEO Mr. Desire Balazire Bantu, the statement from Nairobi said. The agreement was signed in Kinshasa on the last day of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s three-day state visit of Congo and which observed the two African airlines partner in aircraft maintenance other than codesharing. The two airlines had agreed to cooperate on training and sharing of excess passengers and cargo. After resuming international fights last year after six months of COVID-19 travel restrictions, Kenya Airways cancelled its flights covering several cities in Africa. Kenya Airways mostly fly tourists booked to visit the East African Community (EAC) member states of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. The airline flies international flights connecting Nairobi to key African cities while  providing on transit connections to Europe, Middle East and South East Asia. 

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Tourism is among key economic areas which African countries are looking to develop, market, and promotefor the continent’s prosperity.The 2 heads of state have jointly agreed to eliminate barriers hindering smooth flow of trade and people.East African countries have resolved to advance regional tourism cooperation to help unlock potential in the region. A move by these 2 African countries to cooperate in trade and tourism was taken 2 weeks before African nations celebrated Africa Day on May 25, 2021, to commemorate the foundation of the African Union Organization of African Unity (OAU) on the same date in 1963. Tourism is among key economic areas which African countries are looking to develop, market, and promotefor the continent’s prosperity. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu made a 2-day State visit to Kenya a few weeks ago, then held talks with Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta targeting the development of trade and movement of people between the 2 neighboring states. The 2 heads of state have jointly agreed to eliminate barriers hindering smooth flow of trade and people between the 2 East African nations. They later instructed their respective officials to initiate and conclude trade talks to bridge significant differences between the 2 countries, reports from Kenyan capital Nairobi said. Movement of people also include local, regional, and foreign tourists visiting Kenya, Tanzania, and the entire East African region.

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