Mr. D'Amore

Eco-Friendly Practices

Africa: Window on the Future: Prospects, Alliances, Partners

By Louis D'Amore, Founder & President, International Institute of Peace through Tourism

Scientists believe that human life first began on the African continent some 5-6 million years ago. Recent DNA research traces modern man to the "Original Eve" some 150,000 years ago in the Rift Valley of Africa. From these early beginnings - world population has grown to some 6.5 billion persons of which 900 million reside in the 53 countries of Africa.

While Africa is the "Cradle of Civilization" it lags behind all other regions of the world as we enter the 3rd Millennium. Half the population lives on less than US$1 per day, school enrollment is declining, and the average life-span is becoming shorter. While Africa accounts for 14 % of the world's population, its exports account for less than 1.6% and investment in Africa is less than 1% of global investment. Further, total net "Official Development Assistance" to Africa has fallen from previous levels of $17 billion to US$12 billion a year.

This scenario is changing however. In July 2001, the 37th Summit of the OAU formally adopted a strategic framework for Africa's renewal called NEPAD - "New Partnership for African Development." NEPAD is first and foremost a pledge by African leaders to the people of Africa to consolidate democracy, sound economic management, peace and security, and people-centered sustainable development.

Its primary goals are to eradicate poverty; place African countries on a path of sustainable growth and development; enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy; and accelerate the empowerment of women.

African leaders personally directed its creation and formally hold one another accountable for its achievement. NEPAD is based on principles of good governance, participation by all sectors of society, acceleration of regional and continental integration, and forging new international partnerships linked to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Response of the International Community

The international community has responded positively to the initiative of African leaders. At the 2002 G-8 Summit in Canada, Heads of State of eight major industrialized nations and representatives of the European Union accepted the invitation to build a new partnership with the countries of Africa based on mutual responsibility and respect. The resulting "Africa Action Plan" of the G8 is designed to encourage the initiatives being undertaken through NEPAD and to lay a solid foundation for cooperation.

The G8 agreed with African leaders that the prime responsibility for Africa' s future lies with Africa itself and pledged to assist their own efforts by marshalling resources and energizing global action in support of NEPAD objectives.

G8 support will be focused on countries that demonstrate a political and financial commitment to good governance and the rule of law, investment in their people and pursuit of policies that spur economic growth and alleviate poverty. The commitment of African countries will be matched by the G8 nations with a commitment to promote peace and security in Africa, boost expertise and capacity, encourage trade and direct growth-oriented investment, and to provide more effective official development assistance. Official development assistance is projected to increase by US$6 billion a year starting in 2006.

Similarly, the Asia-Africa Summit in April 2005 established a New Asian-Africa Strategic Partnership (NAASP) with the aim of safeguarding peace and promoting development. NAASP provides a framework to build a bridge between Asia and Africa covering three broad areas or partnership: political solidarity, economic cooperation, and social-cultural relations.

Heads of State of Asian and African nations pledged to utilize their own abundant resources and creative energies to solve development problems, conquer poverty, and enhance peace, prosperity and social justice. The Summit acknowledged and agreed to support NEPAD as the African Union's program for poverty eradication, socio-economic development and growth The Asia - Africa Summit commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Asian - African Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia 50 years earlier to promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation and to oppose colonialism.

Leaders of Asia and Africa re-affirmed their conviction that the "Spirit of Bandung" based on solidarity, friendship and cooperation, continue to be a powerful, relevant and effective foundation for fostering better relations among Asian and African countries and development of the entire world.

The Tourism Sector

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that total global revenues for travel and tourism will be US$6.5 trillion in 2006, or 10.3% of GDP when considering both direct and indirect contributions. The industry will also account for 234 million jobs or 8.7% of total employment and US$ 900 billion in foreign exchange. Strong growth of 4.2% is projected for the next 10 years.

This continued growth has been particularly important for developing countries. Between 1990 and 2000, international travel in developing countries increased 133% and their share of market increased from 25% to 42%. The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) projects that the number of international arrivals will grow five times more rapidly in developing countries than in more established markets such as Europe and North America. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism for the 49 least developed countries are second only to petroleum industry exports which are relevant to only 3 of the LDC's (Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Yemen).

The significance of tourism as a key sector for sustainable economic development, poverty reduction, job creation, and the Millennium Development Goals is now being recognized and acknowledged by donor agencies and governments.

The UK Department of Foreign Investment Development (DFID) was first off the mark in 2000 with a "Pro Poor Tourism" policy. In 2001, the theme was emphasized by the 49 least developed countries - most of which are in Africa - at a Conference held in Spain. The resulting Canary Islands Declaration on Tourism in the Least Developed Countries states that "For a large majority of least developed countries, tourism development can be an avenue to increase participation in the global economy, alleviate poverty, and achieve socio-economic progress."

Currently, most countries of Africa report that tourism is one of the priority sectors in their Poverty Reduction Strategies and are receiving support from the World Bank, UNDP, Africa Development Bank and several donor agencies including USAID.

Tourism provides a promising option to African nations to diversify their economies and to supplement a declining agricultural sector. Most African countries have superb and often unique natural and cultural assets for tourism, providing opportunities for nature-based tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, community tourism, and more.

Tourism in turn is human resource intensive, creating more jobs each year than any other industry; it offers entrepreneurial opportunities for micro-enterprise and SME development, as well as community cooperatives. It is broad based, offering opportunities for women, youth and indigenous people - from unskilled to skilled, to managerial and executive positions; jobs in urban areas, seaside resorts, and rural areas - particularly rural areas adjacent to national parks and game reserves.

Tourism provides a constellation of linkages into other sectors of the economy as well as culture, wildlife, environment, government, and civil society, and strengthens linkages with the outside world. When wisely planned, tourism can enhance local governance, natural resource and wildlife management, and contribute to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Tourism is key to achieving the challenge of reducing poverty by half by 2015 as it is the only economic sector in which LDC's have a comparative advantage. Tourism can often best be developed precisely in areas that lack development. Recent work by the Department for International Development (UK) has shown that even the poorest countries can generate tourism and provide stability and security in disadvantaged areas.

It is clear, however, that to do so, tourism must be well planned and managed, socially, culturally, and environmentally; designed to achieve maximum benefits to local communities, and integrated within national policies and strategies for sustainable tourism development.

The success of tourism in contributing to poverty reduction goals will also depend on the formation of alliances that bring new partners, innovations, and resources of governments, businesses, and civil society together in achieving common objectives and to improve the quality of life of local residents.

USAID in providing new leadership in this direction with its Global Development Alliance which provides the opportunity to assemble targeted partnerships to address some of the challenges facing tourism including equipping institutions and people with the knowledge and skills to build equitable and sustainable economies and societies.

4th IIPT African Conference

The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) will continue to advance the aims outlined above with its 4th African Conference being held in Uganda, April 2007.

IIPT first addressed the "Role of Tourism in Poverty Reduction" at its 1st African Conference in Mpulanga Province, South Africa in 2001. It has been featured as a topic at each of its African Conferences and Global Summits since then - and again will be a central theme in the 4th IIPT African Conference.

The Conference is being organized under the patronage of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President, Republic of Uganda and in partnership with the Africa Travel Association and Africa Wildlife Foundation.

Uganda, under the leadership of President Museveni, has had extraordinary economic growth since 1986 and has succeeded in substantially reducing poverty. Uganda has also been a world model of success in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The 4th IIPT African Conference will seek to bring a broader awareness to the social, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits of tourism; identify new markets; facilitate product development and investment opportunities; and contribute to reconciliation, peace and wealth creation/poverty reduction on the African continent.

Special efforts will be made to continue building an 'Asia - Africa Bridge of Tourism, Friendship and Solidarity' initiated at the 3rd Global Summit on Peace through Tourism in Pattaya, Thailand (October 2005) with an MOU between the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Africa Travel Association (ATA).

The Conference will bring together senior executives from both the public and private sectors of tourism as well as donor agencies and related sectors including economic development, culture, sports, wildlife and the environment.

We extend a warm welcome to each of you to join us in these deliberations.

Louis D’Amore is Founder and President of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT). He has been instrumental in promoting the world’s first "Global Peace Industry" since the founding of IIPT in 1986. He organized three Global Conferences on Peace through Tourism, three Global Summits and three African Conferences on Peace through Tourism. Mr. D’Amore has been a pioneer in promoting social and environmental ethics within the industry since the mid-70’s. He has been a consultant to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP} on Codes of Conduct for Sustainable Tourism. Mr. D'Amore can be contacted at 802-253-8671 or ljd@iipt.org Extended Bio...

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