A major step forward in the protection of African World Heritage
The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee ended on Wednesday July 31st in New Delhi, India. The 10 days of work resulted in significant advances in the recognition and protection of African heritage, with the inscription of five new sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List and the removal of Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Thanks to these new inscriptions, sub-Saharan Africa now has 108 properties on the List. Although progress is still needed to make the List more geographically representative, it is particularly encouraging to know that this year almost 20% of the sites nominated belonged to this region.
This also underlines the fact that the technical and financial support provided to the continent's states in the preparation of their nominations is bearing fruit.
The newly Listed properties are:
- Burkina Faso: Royal Court of Tiébélé
- Ethiopia: Melka Kunture and Balchit Archeological and Paleontological Site
- Kenya: The Historic Town and Archaeological Site of Gedi
- South Africa: The Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa
- South Africa: Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites
Promoting Equality, Peace and Reconciliation through Sites of Memory
A new serial memorial has been inscribed this year: Human rights, liberation and reconciliation: Nelson Mandela memorial sites. It is of major importance not only for the history of South Africa, but also for the whole world, as it illustrates Nelson Mandela's universal action for freedom, human rights and peace.
"Twenty-five years after Robben Island was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, this new inscription ensures that the legacy of South Africa's liberation and the values it embodies will be transmitted to future generations." said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.
This property is made up of several emblematic sites, such as the Union Buildings, Walter Sisulu Square, the Sharpeville Massacre site and Constitution Hill, which symbolize key stages in the struggle against the apartheid state and the ongoing efforts to achieve a united society in which all people have equal rights.
A natural park in Senegal removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger
Following the efforts made by Senegal with UNESCO's support to protect and improve the state of conservation of Niokolo-Koba National Park, the Committee decided on July 24 to remove the site from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The action plan implemented by Senegal, following its inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2007, has enabled the situation to be rectified. Monitoring of emblematic species has been considerably stepped up, and considerable resources have been allocated to surveillance of the property to combat poaching and illegal gold panning, as well as to better organize the transhumance of livestock. A mine pollution control system has also been set up, with the installation of water and soil analysis equipment. Finally, work has been carried out to better combat the invasive species Mimosa pigra.
Following the removal of the Tombs of the Kings of Buganda at Kasubi in Uganda from the World Heritage in Danger List in 2023, this year it is the turn of Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Thanks to the joint efforts of Senegal and UNESCO, the protection of this site has improved significantly,
"This is excellent news, and shows that our collective efforts to protect Africa's heritage are paying off. UNESCO will continue to support the African States and to mobilize the international community to save as many African sites in danger as possible." she added.
This natural site, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981, stands out for its exceptional biodiversity and unique ecosystems, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is renowned for its dense dry forests, herbaceous savannahs, rocky slopes and hills. The richness of its fauna, including species such as chimpanzees, lions, leopards and elephants, reinforces its status as a World Heritage Site.
Another step towards recognition of African heritage
In 2023, the Committee adopted the first-ever Strategy for World Heritage in Africa, aimed at undertaking concrete actions to better protect and promote African heritage by 2029.
Within this framework, and thanks to the financial support of UNESCO and its member states, numerous African experts have been able to attend workshops and training courses over the past year aimed at strengthening their skills in preparing new nominations and thus achieving a better representation of the region's heritage.
UNESCO’s mentorship programme has supported the 11 African countries with no sites on the World Heritage List, through technical assistance, to prepare their Tentative Lists and/or first nomination dossiers.
This has already enabled Somalia to officially establish its Tentative List in March 2024, and Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone to finalize their first nomination dossiers, which will be presented to the Committee in 2025.
Numerous other activities have been carried out by the World Heritage Centre as part of the Africa Strategy, notably on the management of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. To consult them in detail: https://whc.unesco.org/en/partners/381
