SCO: SCO Signing a Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the SCO Secretariat and the Secretariat of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF)

On 15 May 2017, the SCO Secretariat and the Secretariat of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) signed a framework agreement on cooperation in Beijing, China.

SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov pointed out that a programme for the development of cooperation in the field of tourism between the SCO member states was signed at the organisation's summit which took place in Tashkent in 2016. He added that the signing of the framework agreement between the SCO and WTCF secretariats was a modest contribution to the implementation of the above mentioned programme.

Under the agreement, the WTCF Secretariat will provide information about the historical and cultural heritage of China and other countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt to the SCO Secretariat and to experts from SCO member states and also to delegations. The cooperation agreement also provides for visits by individual tourist groups to the SCO headquarters in Beijing.

The SCO Secretary-General expressed hope that this agreement would bolster relations with the WTCF Secretariat.

WTCF Secretary-General Song Yu said that the signing of the agreement included a list of documents to be adopted during the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which was attended by the heads of state and government from 29 countries, including SCO member states. He said that the WTCF Secretariat was willing to work with SCO cities to step up cooperation in the sphere of tourism.

The World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) was established in April 2012 and is headquartered in Beijing. The first WTCF summit was held in June 2012 and included a plenary meeting of WTCF members, and a trade fair which focused on tourist cities and other events as well.

The WTCF is an international non-governmental non-profit organisation. It has 184 members, including 122 cities and 62 tourism-related institutional members.

The goal of WTCF is to promote cooperation between tourism cities.

The Beijing Mayor chairs the WTCF Council.