Sub-Saharan Africa Achieves Landmark Milestone with 100 World Heritage Sites
UNESCO urges Sub-Saharan African nations to embrace their rich cultural and natural heritage by nominating more national treasures as World Heritage Sites, following Rwanda's landmark inclusion of its first sites on the prestigious list
Supporters of Africa's cultural and natural heritage recently celebrated as UNESCO announced the addition of five new locations to the list of World Heritage Sites during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in September. With these additions, the total number of World Heritage Sites in sub-Saharan Africa now exceeds 100 for the first time.
Rwanda, in particular, had reason to rejoice as it gained its first two World Heritage Sites among the 42 new entries worldwide. The first site, Nyungwe National Park, boasts a diverse topography that includes forests and peat bogs, and is home to various endangered species such as the Eastern Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey. The second site comprises several locations in Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero, which serve as memorials for the 1994 genocide that tragically targeted Rwanda's Tutsi population.
Ethiopia's Bale Mountains National Park, spanning over 215,000 hectares (531,000 acres) and boasting the largest afro-alpine habitat on the continent, as well as the Gedeo Cultural Landscape, home to the indigenous Gedeo people and located in the Eastern Highlands, have been added to the esteemed World Heritage list. Additionally, the Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua in the Republic of Congo, serving as a crucial sanctuary for the region's forest elephants, also received this recognition.
However, this positive development highlights that there is still much progress to be made in acknowledging and safeguarding Africa's heritage. In sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to 1.2 billion individuals, less than 10% of the listed sites are located. What's more, Africa experiences a higher proportion of endangered World Heritage sites compared to other continents, and there are 11 countries, including Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and South Sudan, that have not yet secured a place on the prestigious list.
Vegetation in Rwasenkoko,Nyungwe National Park, one or Rwanda's two new UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
G.R. Vande weghe/Courtesy UNESCO
A remembrance site to the 1994 genocide in Gisozi, Rwanda.
CNLG/Courtesy UNESCO
With the current count at 1,199, there are numerous World Heritage sites that enjoy the advantages of conservation agreements and tourism. Among these sites, UNESCO's Africa region comprises 103, excluding Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. These countries possess a combined total of 42 World Heritage Sites, which UNESCO categorizes under its Arab States region.
To be eligible for UNESCO recognition, a site must possess "outstanding universal value" and meet at least one of the 10 specified criteria. These criteria include being a "masterpiece of human creative genius," featuring "remarkable natural phenomena," or representing an "exceptional testament to a cultural tradition or civilization, present or extinct." Africa undoubtedly possesses sites that fulfill these requirements. Then why is there a notable lack of representation for the continent's heritage?
Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of World Heritage, attributes the increase in World Heritage applications to several factors. One factor is the delayed ratification of the 1972 World Heritage convention by some nations, which delayed their ability to submit applications for World Heritage status. (For instance, Somalia only ratified the convention in 2020.) Additionally, there has been a historic lack of expertise and capacity in certain countries to identify and propose potential sites.
Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge the lengthy and costly nomination process. According to UNESCO, it takes a minimum of two years for a site to transition from nomination to being inscribed on the World Heritage list. This process can require resources that some nations may not have readily available.
An African forest elephant in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of the Congo. The park, a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a stronghold for the animal.
UNESCO has launched "Priority Africa," a comprehensive initiative aiming to enhance identification and preservation efforts across the continent by 2029.
Eloundou Assomo asserts that the implementation of this novel strategy is generating a fresh impetus. He highlights prior global endeavors, which stretch back to 1994, aimed at rectifying the disparity within the World Heritage list.
Emphasizing the timeline, he affirms that by 2025, the majority of African nations lacking a World Heritage Site will have initiated the process of preparing a nomination dossier. Furthermore, he expresses his aspiration for every African country currently absent from the list to have a designated site before the close of the decade.
Photo: Christoph Gerigk ©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
Christoph Gerigk ©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation
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The Director of World Heritage, the first African to hold this position from Cameroon, believes that there are now more local resources and expertise available than ever before to help preserve heritage sites. In addition, UNESCO has partnered with the African World Heritage Fund to establish a mentorship program aimed at training professionals from the younger generation to become future experts and caretakers, according to Eloundou Assomo.
Another objective of this strategy is to actively reduce the number of African sites listed as "World Heritage in Danger." UNESCO states that human conflict, natural disasters, urban development, poaching, pollution, and uncontrolled tourism all pose significant threats to these sites.
UNESCO aims to reduce the number of endangered sites in Africa by half before 2029. Encouragingly, the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi in Uganda, which suffered fire damage in 2010, have been successfully restored over a 13-year period. As a result, this site has been removed from the list of endangered sites.
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The Gedeo Cultural Landscape in Ethiopia, recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcases a fascinating array of stelae. These ancient stone monuments, estimated to be approximately 2,000 years old, hold great religious significance according to archaeologists.
Yonas Beyene/Courtesy UNESCO
Eloundou Assomo says that even in the most challenging circumstances, "it is paramount to support African countries in their effort (to preserve their heritage)."
"World heritage is deeply intertwined with the essence of nations and communities," states Eloundou Assomo. "The obliteration of these sites signifies the loss of a significant aspect of identity."
"The preservation of heritage sites not only safeguards their physical presence, but also empowers individuals to reconstruct themselves... These sites encapsulate their defining elements; by acknowledging their history, they can construct a prosperous future," he further emphasizes.
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courtesy Brilliant Planet
Algae cultivation and burial in the Sahara emerge as a novel approach to tackle the climate crisis. Despite the continents rich history and revered sites, a six-year initiative by UNESCO is deemed relatively short. While the duty of proposing locations for inclusion on the list falls on individual countries, the director subtly revealed a personal desire to see the Bissagos Islands acknowledged in the future. Situated off the shores of Guinea-Bissau, this archipelago not only boasts significant biodiversity but also hosts a matriarchal society, making it a potential first World Heritage Site for the nation.
Eloundou Assomo emphasizes the importance of countries considering a wide range of options for submission to UNESCO for potential inclusion.
According to him, having an Eiffel Tower is not a requirement for proposing a World Heritage Site. The potential list is not limited to monumental sites alone, as there are numerous locations worldwide with the potential to be included.
