• Mr. Taleb Rifai assumed the functions of Secretary General ad interim of the World  Tourism Organization (UNWTO) since 1st. March. He served as Deputy Secretary General from February 2006 to February 2009
• Prior to assuming his current post, he was the Assistant Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) for three consecutive years. His responsibilities included the overall supervision and implementation of the International Labour Standards, as well as advising on labour markets and employments policies, particularly in the Middle East region.
• From 1999 to 2003, Mr. Rifai served in several ministerial portfolios in the Government of Jordan, first as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in charge of Jordan’s Development Agenda and bilateral and multilateral relationships with donor countries and agencies. He was later appointed Minister of Information, in which capacity he was in charge of communication and public media and restructured the Jordan Television Network. In 2001, his portfolio was expanded to include the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity.
• During his term as Minister of Tourism and Antiquity, Mr. Rifai established Jordan’s first Archaeological Park in the ancient city of Petra in collaboration with UNESCO and the World Bank. He also realized several grand projects in Jerash, the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum. As Minister of Tourism, he was also the Chairman of the Jordan Tourism Board, President of the Ammon School for Tourism and Hospitality and was elected Chairman of the Executive Council of the UNWTO in 2001
• In the three years preceding his service in the Jordanian Cabinet, Mr. Rifai was the CEO of Jordan’s Cement Company, one of the country’s largest public shareholdings companies with over 4000 employees. During his term he successfully lead and directed the first large scale privatization and restructuring scheme in Jordan by bringing in the French cement company Lafarge in 1998 and continued to serve as CEO under the new Lararge management.
• From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Rifai was actively involved in policy marking and developing trade and investment strategies, initially in his capacity as Director of Jordan’s Economic Mission to Washington DC promoting trade, investment and economic relations between Jordan and the USA. In 1995 he became the Director General of the newly established Investment Promotion Corporation, responsible for developing and implementing policies aiming at attracting Foreign Direct Investment into Jordan.
• From 1973 to 1993 Mr.Rifai was involved in research, teaching and practicing Architecture and Urban Design in Jordan and the United States. He was a professor of Architecture at the University of Jordan and taught several courses in Philadelphia, Chicago and Cambridge. As an architect, he won several international competitions and supervised numerous projects, particularly in the rehabilitation of old urban centers.
• Mr. Rifai received his PhD in Urban Design and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1983, his Master’s degree in Engineering and Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago in 1979, and his BSc in Architectural Engineering from the University of Cairo in Egypt in 1983
• Mr. Rifai, a Jordanian national born in 1949, has travelled and lectured extensively, and received several distinguished decorations including one of Jordan’s highest medals for public service, Al Kawkab, as well as several high-level decorations from France, Italy and other countries.EXPERIENCE and skills
• Mr. Rifai’s background combines solid political experience and technical knowledge in the field of tourism, as well as experience in the work and functioning of International Organizations. His background also provides him with extensive economic, business and academic experience.
• Throughout his professional career, Mr. Rifai has been a reformer and a consensus builder: Two important qualities in effecting sustainable change. His ability to introduce fresh thinking and to work closely with people in order to ensure buy-in and to achieve enduring reforms is evident in all his endeavours, notably, restructuring the Jordan Television Network, privatizing the Jordan Cement Company and introducing fresh thinking to the UNWTO
• Having served as Deputy Secretary General of the UNWTO for the last three years, Mr. Rifai has acquired valuable experience and insight regarding the needs and prospects of the UNWTO. He is considering a strong candidate who possesses all the necessary skills, experience and knowledge as well as the capability to introduce much-needed reforms and changes at the UNWTO

• Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Spain, the Principality of Andorra, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Kingdom of Morocco Permanent Representative of Georgia to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
• Ambassador POLOLIKASHVILI has broad experience of working in both private and public sectors at high-profile positions.
• He has extensive diplomatic experience, having represented Georgia to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), as well as serving as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain.
• He also held a position of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2006.
• 2009-2010, Minister of Economic Development of Georgia. As Minister of Economic Development of Georgia, Ambassador Pololikashvili was responsible for overseeing the country’s long-term fiscal growth strategies, for advancing foreign trade and investment policy initiatives, as well as for promoting the development of tourism, infrastructure and transportation sectors.
• He was instrumental in launching an innovative policy for the development of tourism in Georgia, prioritizing the sphere on both the government and private sector agendas.
• During Ambassador Pololikashvili’s tenure as the Minister of Economic Development, through key policy reforms, marketing activities, improvement of infrastructure and visa liberalization initiatives, Georgia managed to nearly double the annual number of international arrivals, from 1.5 million ( in 2009) to exceeding the 2.8 million mark by 2011.
• Those reforms paved the way for sustainable tourism practices in Georgia and poverty alleviation initiatives, placing Georgia among top tourist destinations in the region. Minister Pololikashvili successfully led the economic liberalization processes, introducing more supportive policies for SMEs, and incentive programs to attract foreign investment for development of hard and soft infrastructure.
• 2006 – 2009 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Spain.
• 2005 – 2006 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. In this capacity as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, he supervised the departments for administrative, budgetary, financial and consular affairs, as well as the Department for Human Resources Management.
• Pololikashvili was responsible for ushering in a new phase of more liberal and secure visa regimes, facilitation of processes to ease border crossing procedures, and deepening relations with various international organizations, including the UNWTO.
• Experience private sector. Ambassador Pololikashvili’s private sector experience includes several years in the financial and banking sectors, serving as the Manager of International Operations for TBC Bank ( one of the most successful banks in Georgia), Director of TBC Bank’s Central Branch Office (2001-2005) and the Vice President of TBC Group (2010 – 2011) In 2001 – 2011
• Ambassador Pololikashvili was CEO of FC Dinamo Tbilisi, the leading professional football team in Georgia. Academic Qualifications. 2008 – 2009 Global Senior Management Program (GSMP), IE Business School, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain 1994 – 1998
• Bachelor’s Degree in Banking, Georgian Technical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
• Personal Data Date of birth: 12 January 1977, Tbilisi, Georgia Marital status: Married and has three children
• Languages: Georgian (native) English, Spanish, and Russian (fluent) French, Japanese and Polish (spoken)

Why would or should any individual without or very little tourism experience be appointed to head and lead the World Tourism Organization? (UNWTO)

It ordinarily takes a large amount of experience, talent, and industry recognition to become a candidate for global tourism’s top job, Secretary-General of the UNWTO.

Last May in Madrid, the UNWTO Executive Council, in the first round of the Secretary-General ballot process, gave 3 votes to Mr. Jaime Alberto Cabal (Colombia), 7 votes to Ms. Young-shim Dho (Republic of Korea), 4 votes to Mr. Márcio Favilla (Brazil), 11 votes to Mr. Walter Mzembi (Zimbabwe) and 8 votes to Mr.Zurab Pololikashvili (Georgia).

As none of the candidates received the “required majority” of votes on the first ballot, a second ballot was held. The second ballot gave 15 votes to Mr. Walter Mzembi and 18 votes to Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili.

With Pololikashvili being named the Secretary-General Elect, he now needs to receive 2/3 of the vote from the upcoming General Assembly in Chengdu, China to take office. Or put in a more reassuring way, only slightly more than 1/3 of the General Assembly has to vote no to the former football club executive as our Secretary-General.

As an industry, we should all be concerned, if not alarmed, at how the UNWTO electoral system appears to have failed us. It appears to be a system that is flawed, with outgoing, highly respected Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, grappling with election results many do not understand.

While the election voting in Madrid is long over, there is growing hope any misdemeanors can be corrected at the upcoming General Assembly. It is not a done deal that Pololikashvili, who from his CV appears to somewhat of a job hopper, if not dilettante with his career choices, will actually win tourism’s top position.

It takes a skilled, seasoned industry leader, such as Dr. Rifai to navigate the UNWTO through choppy election waters with a complex system to work with. All eyes will be on Chengdu, China, to see if the world’s largest single industry is going to be saddled with a new leader with very little gravitas to perform intelligently in this important role.

Vote responsibly, vote intelligently!

Our industry will be at risk if we have a novice taking the reins of our UNWTO. This is an important position, with no room for an internship of the critical Secretary-General role or indeed, backroom deals to be permitted to determine the outcome.

The election we trust will be steered straight under the watchful stewardship of outgoing Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rafai, we as an industry are depending on it.

At yesterdays UNWTO Ambassador meeting in Madrid, ahead of the General Assembly next month in China, the outgoing Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, chose to make curiously timed, critical remarks about investigative media articles by eTN and WorldTourismWire related to the UNWTO Secretary General election, threatening with legal action.

We are of the belief authentic efforts should be spent on reviewing and discussing miscreant conduct related to the UNWTO Secretary General election, rather than speaking poorly of media who report on the election.

Is the UNWTO blocking Walter Mzembi’s proposal for agenda items on widespread Secretary-General election irregularities to be presented to the full General Assembly next month in Chengdu, China?

It appears that may well be the very unfortunate case.

In recent days, the UNWTO disingenuously proposed to put Zimbabwe’s agenda items to the Executive Council, instead of the General Assembly.

The fiasco continues. The Executive Council of the UNWTO, who appear to have some culpability with election irregularities, are being asked to review and report if there were irregularities related to Georgia candidate, Zurib Polokashvili, being nominated by the Executive Council as Secretary General elect.

Despite urging global tourism leaders from backing Zimbabwe’s Walter Mzembi proposal to have the General Assembly review and address the agenda items, the UNWTO continues to bring the organization into disrepute.  Transparency, vigilance and authentic efforts to review documented instances of election misconduct is vital for the future of our UNWTO.  This should not be turned over individuals who may have a vested interest in concealing miscreant election activity. This starts with the decision of whether to table the Mzembi agenda items to the General Assembly.

The Mzembi agenda items absolutely must be put forth to the General Assembly, too much is at stake to conceal the election misconduct. Enough of the backroom meetings, the deals, the secret handshakes.

By shining light on election wrong-doings, the UNWTO will be taking a very important step forward to rehabilitating what has become in recent months, a rather tarnished reputation.

Pololikashvili’s nomination requires two-thirds of all member countries attending the September General Assembly to vote for the Georgia candidate before he is ratified to lead our UNWTO.  This is not a foregone conclusion. This should not be a done deal.  With access to Mzembi agenda items that fully detail election irregularities related to the Pololikashvili’s candidacy, campaign and subsequent nomination to Secretary General Elect, the General Assembly can only then vote intelligently. The Mzembi agenda items must not be dismissed or marginalized.  The Mzembi agenda items must be made available to all voting members so the sham nomination of Zurab Pololikashvili, elect can possibly be corrected in Chengdu, China by the General Assembly.

This is global tourism’s top post. Perhaps not surprisingly, the election process has shown us we are not immune to misconduct at the highest levels of what has been globally known as an unimpeachable organization with integrity and dignity.  This is our UNWTO, we expect better, we demand better, we deserve better.

by Mel Webster

The days are counting down to the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu.  The games in implementing procedural bureaucracy to an essential issue, the alleged flaws in the election of a new Secretary General is in full swing.  Zurab Pololikashvili is avoiding a response to media requests or any request to get his side of the story into the open.

WorldTourismWire asked UNWTO: The Hon. Walter Mzembi asked for agenda points to be added to the General Assembly program in regards to the SG Election. Was this approved?

UNWTO responded: In accordance with UNWTO rules and regulations, the request by the Government of Zimbabwe to add new items to the Agenda of the upcoming UNWTO GA has been communicated to all UNWTO Members States by Note Verbal. The decision on whether or not to include new items in the Agenda is the sole responsibility of the General Assembly which will decide upon this request when the item “Adoption of the agenda” is discussed.

In a bizarre move, it appears UNWTO is trying to push the concern by Zimbabwe on “flaws” in the election process back to the “defendant” the Executive Council

The same Executive Council accused of irregularities by the Hon. Mzembi is meeting before the start of the UNWTO General Assembly on September 12.

The intention by Zimbabwe was to have the full assembly review the issue, but it appears the secretariat is throwing the ball first to the Executive Council. http://lmd.unwto.org/event/executive-council-106th-session-0

The UNWTO Secretariat did not add any agenda items but is asking the same Executive Council  and informed:

Consequently, and since the statements and alleged irregularities mainly refer to the Executive Council, the Council is requested to report on this matter to the 22nd session of the General Assembly, in order to provide the Assembly with all the necessary information when considering the proposal submitted by Zimbabwe.

UNWTO issued the following document:
Click here to read