Russia quits UN tourism body ahead of vote on its suspension

The city has seized worldwide attention as the scene of some of the worst suffering of the war, including deadly airstrikes on a maternity hospital and a theater. (Image: AP)

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation said on Wednesday that Russia had decided to quit the international agency just as its member states were preparing to vote on Russia's suspension over its invasion of Ukraine.

A UNWTO spokesman said that despite Russia's withdrawal, the assembly would still suspend it as that move would have immediate effects while the formal pull-out process would take a year to complete.

Zurab Pololikashvili, the secretary general of the Madrid-based UNWTO, said earlier he hoped members would vote to suspend Russia and show an example to other international organisations.

A two-thirds majority of 160 total member states must back the suspension, which would only have symbolic consequences for Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the decision to quit the UNWTO would not affect the country's tourism.

"The tourism sector, especially that for domestic tourism, will continue its development. The external directions for tourism are also open, hinging on questions of competition in terms of quality and price," he said.

He did not elaborate further.

The U.N. General Assembly earlier this month voted to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of human rights abuses in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to announce it was quitting it.

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