The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is working on the creation of a comprehensive framework program in line with the Baku Declaration on Sustainable Development, Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, said during a media briefing on the sidelines of the 71st meeting of the UN European Commission on Tourism, currently taking place in Baku.
"We adopted the Baku Declaration on Sustainable Development during the COP conference in 2024. Now, in 2025, we are developing a framework that addresses social, economic, and, of course, environmental sustainability," Bayona stated.
She emphasized Azerbaijan's pivotal role in the activities of UN Tourism.
"First, Azerbaijan is a member of the Executive Council — our main governing body. Second, the country has proven to be a reliable and effective partner, successfully hosting UN-backed international conferences," Bayona noted.
She added that the current session is focused not only on reviewing the state of the global tourism sector but also on assessing the progress of the regional agenda for Europe — a specialized program developed jointly with member states.
"Another key objective of the meeting is to prepare for upcoming elections within the UN agency. We are forming committee memberships and updating the composition of the Executive Council. Today, elections are being held for each unit to ensure effective preparation for the next General Assembly, which will take place in Riyadh in November and gather all tourism ministers from member countries," Bayona concluded.
