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Rifai New Boss of UNWTO
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Jordan’s Former minister of tourism and antiquities, Taleb Rifai, was elected secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) during elections for the post that took place in Bamako, Mali, Thursday. The 85th session of the UNWTO Executive Council recommended Rifai for the post as Secretary-General for the four-year-period starting January 2010.
Rifai, who served as director of the International Labour Organisation Regional office for the Arab States in Lebanon, was deputy secretary general of the UNWTO from February 2006 to February 2009.
He was elected by majority vote in the 31-member council, defeating Dr Jee-chul Oh, President and CEO, Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO). Dr Rifai, formerly the UNWTO’s deputy secretary general, will become Secretary General of the world body once his election is ratified by the general assembly of the 155-member inter-governmental body which meets in October 2009 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Rifai will take over the reins from Francesco Frangialli and will remain the Secretary General of UNWTO till 2013.
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