REUTERS Italy's Fabio Cannavaro (centre) lifts the World Cup as he celebrates with teammates after the 2006 final between Italy and France in Berlin July 9, 2006. South Africa will host the prestigiuos event in 2010.

UNWTO and FIFA join forces for World Cup 2010

Big sporting events can promote tourism, which in turn can be streamlined into socio-economic development efforts. This close relationship is increasingly acknowledged and lies behind the merger between the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and FIFA ahead of the South African World Cup in 2010.

The 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Africa will be held under the slogan 'Win in Africa with Africa', and will be committed to the legacy for African football and football to help development.

Aware of the fact that Africa can benefit from this major event, the heads of FIFA, UNWTO and the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation (Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty) are preparing a partnership to assist the African countries within the framework of the World Cup.

Particularly through its ST-EP programme, UNWTO has put in place a framework for poverty alleviation, linking its long-standing pursuit of sustainable tourism with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and its own Global Code of Ethics.

"The World Cup constitutes an opportunity that the countries of the region can seize in order to obtain the maximum socio-economic, promotional and cultural benefits. It should also contribute to strengthening the image of Africa", UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said.

The World Cup, through the assistance provided by UNWTO and with travel and tourism as its main thrust, represents an opportunity to: promote Africa as a whole in international markets,

reinforce the image of the continent as a safe and significant tourism destination by means of promotional and publicity campaigns through the media,

turn football into a factor that contributes to the development of closer relations among peoples for mutual understanding and respect among cultures with a view establishing lasting peace in the world,

maximise the immediate and long term social, economic, cultural, and other benefits generated by this event.