Robert Mugabe and Tourism

May 30, 2012 3:51 AM

Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, accused of ethnic cleansing, bankrupting his country and other nefarious deeds, has been appointed as an international envoy for tourism by the UN. Some people have a problem with this.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey (17 comments total)

Ahh, the UN. They do seem remarkably adept at, well not being very adept.
posted by mattoxic at 3:56 AM on May 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

"UNWTO said it had not appointed Mugabe to any formal position but acknowledged he would receive an open letter like other heads of state who have joined its leaders for tourism campaign."
posted by marienbad at 4:00 AM on May 30, 2012 [5 favorites]

Breaking: UN appoints Josef Mengele as Programme Director at UNICEF.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:01 AM on May 30, 2012

Tourism? What a missed opportunity. I would have thought his expertise lay in economy, what with having brought Zimbabwe to the point where even the man in the street could spend a billion dollars on lunch.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:09 AM on May 30, 2012

Here is a recent tweet by UNWTO:
#UNWTO does not have Ambassadors Programme. Open Letter calling for support for #tourism sent to all Heads of Member States
posted by NoMich at 4:20 AM on May 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

This is kind of a tempest in a teapot, no? A "goodwill ambassador" seems to be a pretty generic term. It's certainly a move made in poor taste, at worst, but hardly ranks as an international incident IMHO.

I suppose if I were an Indonesian pop star and listed on the same web page as him, I'd be a little upset. But really, it's a silly thing amplified through the Guardian UK and The American Interest.
posted by scblackman at 4:23 AM on May 30, 2012

It's a tactic. Sanctions are designed to rile the people into upending the leader. It's a bit of chemotherapy, weakening the entire organism to destroy the cancer, so to speak.

It hasn't worked with Mugabe, thus now they're trying a bit of sugar. I don't agree that it's "if you can't beat them, join them" (guardian article). It's an appeal to get the man out of the way. They're not going to reform Mugabe, thus the best thing they can do is get him onside. It's not a bad move actually – keeping enemies close and whatnot.
posted by nickrussell at 4:24 AM on May 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

This seems like an awfully disingenuous beat-up, deliberately conflating the UN Ambassador program with calls for heads of state to simply promote tourism.

You can question whether the UN should be promoting tourism in and for countries with despotic leader and poor democracy, certainly, but that's a wholly different kettle of fish. And, much like sanctions, sending tourists out of Zimbabwe and other countries like it hurts every day people far more than a cloistered leadership.
posted by smoke at 4:25 AM on May 30, 2012 [2 favorites]

I can see the competence in encouraging tourism. He's encouraged so many Zimbabwe nationals to spend *ages* in South Africa.
posted by jaduncan at 4:26 AM on May 30, 2012

The very good blog Passport from Foreign Policy agrees that it's pretty much a beat-up.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 4:31 AM on May 30, 2012 [2 favorites]

other nefarious deeds

Said deeds include being a Chelsea supporter.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:31 AM on May 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

This is kind of a tempest in a teapot, no? A "goodwill ambassador" seems to be a pretty generic term. It's certainly a move made in poor taste, at worst, but hardly ranks as an international incident IMHO.

That's the thing, he's not going to be a goodwill ambassdor.

They're not going to reform Mugabe, thus the best thing they can do is get him onside. It's not a bad move actually – keeping enemies close and whatnot.

This, and what precedes it, seems a pretty nonsensical summary of the facts at hand. Honestly, portraying this as either kow-towing to a tyrant, or using a tourism campaign to persuade Mugabe to - what? - bring in democracy, is absurd. It's a very standard tourism campaign, from a UN organisation of which - yes - Zimbabwe is a member, along with many other countries of dubious distinction.

I'm hardly defending the guy, here, but please; a little perspective. The UN is the UN; it's for every country, and promoting tourism will only help the people of Zimbabwe and awareness of the country's situation. There are dozens of equally horrible leaders heads of state in the West, the UN, and other organisations cuddle up to every day, and it's hard not to see part of the outrage around with an aspect of neo-colonialist racism, when Putin et al are meeting our prime ministers and presidents every other day for handshakes and agreements.
posted by smoke at 4:35 AM on May 30, 2012 [3 favorites]

He keeps it quiet, but actually Bob's always felt a bit wounded at the way he's been overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize year after year.
posted by Segundus at 4:35 AM on May 30, 2012

Well at least it will help take his mind off all the lonelyness.
posted by xqwzts at 4:43 AM on May 30, 2012

"UNWTO said it had not appointed Mugabe to any formal position but acknowledged he would receive an open letter like other heads of state who have joined its leaders for tourism campaign."

Considering this, doesn't this make the language of this FPP a bit misleading?
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:43 AM on May 30, 2012 [2 favorites]

it's a silly thing amplified

I disagree. It is irrelevant how big the job is - it is a job. The UN is basically legitimizing him. The International Criminal Court wants to put him on trial for a variety of crimes, and the UN white washes over it.
posted by Flood at 4:59 AM on May 30, 2012

It is irrelevant how big the job is - it is a job.

Have you read the thread at all?
posted by kmz at 5:05 AM on May 30, 2012 [1 favorite]