UN tourism developing new sustainability framework based on Baku Declaration, official says PHOTO

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is currently developing a framework programme based on the Baku Declaration on Sustainable Development, the organisation’s Executive Director Natalia Bayona announced on June 5.

“We adopted the Baku Declaration on Sustainable Development within the framework of the COP conference in 2024. Now, in 2025, work is underway on a framework programme covering social, economic and, of course, environmental sustainability, she told reporters on the sidelines of the 71st meeting of the UN Regional Commission for Europe, held in Baku, Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

Bayona highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role within UN Tourism structures and praised its contributions.

“Firstly, Azerbaijan is a member of the Executive Board – it is our main governing body. Secondly, the country has proved itself as a reliable and effective partner, successfully organising international conferences under the auspices of the UN,” she noted.

The meeting, hosted in Baku, is aimed at assessing the state of the global tourism industry and reviewing progress on the Regional Agenda for Europe – a collaborative programme developed between UN Tourism and its European member states.

Bayona also underlined the strategic importance of the gathering in light of upcoming leadership changes within the organisation.

She added that another key objective of the meeting was to prepare for the upcoming elections within the UN agency. She explained that the organisation was in the process of forming new committees and renewing the composition of the Executive Board. Elections were being held for each division to ensure effective preparations for the next General Assembly, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November, where all ministers of member states would convene.

In January 2025, on the sidelines of the visit held at the UN Tourism’s Headquarters in Madrid, Azerbaijani and UN Tourism's representatives signed an agreement to host the 71st session of the UN Tourism European Regional Commission in Azerbaijan on June 4-6.

By Sabina Mammadli