ZIMBABWE is anticipating a tourism boom when it hosts two major international events this year.
On Sunday, the 20th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South and Triangular Co-operation in Population and Development will commence in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
In December, the country is expecting not less than 8 000 participants for the International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (ICASA).
While addressing journalists on Wednesday, Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora said the international consultative conference would set the tone on the world’s preparedness to respond to issues around sexual reproductive health and rights and population development ahead of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) to be held next year.
“The holding of these will certainly enhance Zimbabwe’s international standing as the host of these significant multilateral events,” Mombeshora said.
“The hosting of this event will also demonstrate Zimbabwe’s leadership in sexual reproductive health rights and population and development issues leading to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) in 2024.
“The objectives of the conference will be to provide a high-level global forum for multidimensional dialogue, advocacy, peer review and shared commitment to celebrate the 30 years of progress in achieving ICPD Programme of Action, while setting the stage to recommit and focus on the future.”
At the last ICPD25 held in Kenya, the governments made commitments to address maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning services and gender-based violence.
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The ICPD Programme of Action was adopted by representatives of 179 Governments in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994.
It recognised reproductive health and the empowerment of women and gender equality as pillars of sustainable development.
The programme is being organised by Partners in Population and Development, a ministerial-level inter-governmental body composed of 27 member countries that represent more than 60% of the world’s population and the United Nations Population Fund.
