The Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have partnered to promote Geotourism in the Eastern African region.
The new partnership was announced Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, during a workshop entitled ” the Role of UNESCO Global Geoparks and Geotourism for Sustainable Development.”
The geographic diversity of Ethiopia, from Simien Mountains National Park to the otherworldly Dallol Depression, offers breathtaking experiences for tourists, scientists, and adventurers alike and those attractions will play a significant role in promoting Geotourism in the region, Selamawit Kassa, Ethiopian minister of tourism, was quoted as saying.
“These breathtaking landscapes and spectacular geographic features satisfy a hunger for aesthetic beauty, scientific curiosity, and off-the-beaten-path experiences,” Kassa said, noting that Ethiopia is not just a patchwork of cultures, but a geodiversity paradise.
Ethiopia currently boasts 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, six entries on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and five biosphere reserves, the minister noted.
According to the minister, several sites in Ethiopia are of high potential to be designated as UNESCO Global Geoparks, a project which would significantly boost tourism, energize local economies, and provide employment opportunities.
Rita Bissoonauth, director of the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) spoke on the significance of Geoparks to build robust and inclusive economies.
“UNESCO Global Geoparks are much more than nature reserves and they are living laboratories and innovation hubs where nature, culture, science, and community intersect and through the geology’s eyes, they tell the story of our world and allow local communities to build robust, inclusive economies on heritage, education, and sustainability,” she noted.
UNESCO underscored that the establishment of Geoparks in Eastern Africa can provide an impetus for job creation, enhance local business, protect key geological and ecological areas, enhance sensitization of climate change and Geohistorical heritage, and promote local cultures and identities.
MG/abj/APA