War in Ukraine | Russia suspended from World Tourism Organization

(Madrid) Russia was suspended on Wednesday from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) because of its invasion of Ukraine, deemed contrary to the “values” of the organization, we learned from this agency of the United Nations headquartered in Madrid.

This decision, approved by a large majority of the organization’s member states meeting in a general assembly in the Spanish capital, takes effect immediately, a spokesperson for the UNWTO told AFP.

Anticipating a possible suspension, Russia itself announced on Wednesday morning during the opening of the debates before the general assembly that it wanted to withdraw from the agency, which brings together 159 member states.

According to a person who attended the meeting, the Russian representative to the UNWTO later left the meeting and did not attend the vote.

The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced an “illegitimate” decision, the result, according to it, of “massive anti-Russian propaganda”.

“The World Tourism Organization is virtually monopolized by EU countries who use it for their own interests. Using massive anti-Russian propaganda, blackmail and pressure on UNWTO member countries, they seek to push through a politically motivated decision that we consider illegitimate,” he said.

The UN agency responsible for promoting tourism in the world announced in early March that it wanted to suspend Russia from its authorities because of the invasion of Ukraine.

This resolution, proposed by some twenty countries including Poland, France and Germany, and validated by the WTO’s Executive Council, had to be approved by two thirds of the Member States to become effective.

“Our statutes are clear: promotion of tourism for peace and universal respect for human rights,” UNWTO Secretary General, Georgian Zurab Pololikashvili, insisted on Twitter.

“Only members who comply with it can become part of the UNWTO,” he continued.

In a statement, the Spanish Minister of Tourism Reyes Maroto, who chaired the session of the General Assembly, welcomed the choice of the Member States, “in line with the principles” of the UNWTO.

“Putin’s military offensive violates the founding principles of the United Nations and the values ​​that tourism represents, such as peace, prosperity” and “respect for human rights”, she insisted.

The UNWTO, established in Madrid since 1976, had condemned “unequivocally” at the beginning of March the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, denouncing “a manifest violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of this country.

“War is never a solution!” Not now, and never,” insisted Zurab Pololikashvili in a statement, calling on members of the organization to deliver a “clear and clear” message.

According to UNWTO, this is the first time the organization has come together to suspend one of its members.

Due to the war, Russia had already seen itself excluded at the beginning of April from the United Nations Human Rights Council, where its seat was suspended.

In addition to this eviction, Russia suffered several snubs in mid-April during elections in UN bodies, according to diplomats.

Moscow was notably a candidate for seats on the Boards of Directors of UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and the UN Women agency. While Russia should have been chosen, last-minute candidacies were filed, preventing it from obtaining these seats.