Enhancing World Heritage conservation in Africa through IUCN Members

In June 2024, IUCN organized the first-ever Africa Conservation Forum. The three-day conference saw over 700 people come together from across the continent, including IUCN Members, government actors, business representatives, Indigenous peoples and scientific experts to discuss biodiversity, conservation and the sustainable development challenges faced by the continent. The Forum ended with a call for inclusive, cross-sector action to preserve nature and biodiversity.

IUCN Members in Africa are playing a vital role for World Heritage conservation. This ranges from being directly responsible for managing a site (incl. Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves, Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux du Gabon, Ministère de l’Environnement et du développement durable - Sénégal, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, South African National Parks, Uganda Wildlife Authority), to supporting sustainable financing (incl. BACoMaB, Fondation pour les Aires Protégées et la Biodiversité de Madagascar, Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust), conducting crucial scientific research on species and ecosystems (incl. University of Botswana, BirdLife International), and supporting site managers with their conservation work (Peace Parks Foundation).

During the side event “What can IUCN Members do for World Heritage Conservation in Africa?” IUCN Members showcased their conservation efforts to support the protection of World Heritage sites across the African content, and discussed how they can further advance these efforts to implement the Union-wide IUCN World Heritage Strategy.

• Charly Facheux (Senior Vice President, Conservation Strategy and Science, African Wildlife Foundation) shared insights into their work to strengthen management capacities in several World Heritage sites across the continent, while also providing support for communities and livelihoods in the surrounding areas.

• Paul Kariuki Ndang'ang'a (Regional Director Africa, BirdLife International) highlighted BirdLife International’s seminal bird science, which is crucial to identifying and conserving Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and Key Biodiversity Areas, several of which have been recognized as World Heritage sites.

• Prof Emad Adly (General Coordinator, Arab Network for Environment and Development) presented the Network’s contributions to the protection and safeguarding of World Heritage sites in northern Africa through capacity building and awareness raising.

IUCN Members demonstrated a keen interest to help advance the conservation of World Heritage sites in Africa. The side event underscored essential priorities for IUCN Members, including to:

• strengthen conservation outcomes in World Heritage sites through continued and increased capacity building and research
• enhance local benefits and rights through community empowerment and advocacy.

Collaborative efforts through leveraging the power of the Union and shared strategies are pivotal in bolstering the implementation of the IUCN World Heritage Strategy across the continent. By working together, we can ensure that Africa's priceless World Heritage sites and their nature conservation values are effectively protected and managed for the benefit of wildlife and people.

About Natural World Heritage in Africa

The over 50 World Heritages on the African continent inscribed for their natural values include iconic places such as Botswana’s Okavango Delta wetlands; the ‘endless plains’ of Tanzania’s Serengeti savannas; the steamy Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar; the magical Lakes of Ounianga in the heart of the Sahara desert (Chad), the coastal wetlands of Mauritania’s Banc d’Arguin or the extraordinary fossils at Egypt’s Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley). Many of Africa’s World Heritage sites recognize the special global significance of the continent’s unique megafauna which are unrivalled by anything elsewhere in the world.

Despite their iconic status, the conservation outlook of more than half of Africa’s natural/mixed sites is in a critical condition or giving cause for ‘significant concern’ (IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3, 2020). The most prevalent current threats to natural sites in Africa are hunting, fires, invasive alien species and logging (IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3, 2020). Africa has 11 natural sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger, more than any other region, accounting for 65% of the global total.

In terms of their protection and management status, 70% have an inadequate protection & management system (primarily because of lack of financing); and 75% are threatened by issues emanating from outside the World Heritage site such as civil unrest, poaching, infrastructure development, mining and uncontrolled timber harvesting, and lack of resources (IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3, 2020).

More information about Natural World Heritage in Africa is available in this 2020 IUCN report.

About IUCN & World Heritage

Since 1972 IUCN is the official advisor on nature for the World Heritage Convention. In this role the IUCN World Heritage Team coordinates the evaluation of newly nominated sites, the monitoring of existing sites, delivers training for protected area managers, as well as providing policy advice to UNESCO, the World Heritage Committee and States Parties.

In 2023 IUCN adopted a new Union-wide strategy which focuses on supporting the World Heritage Convention to make the greatest conservation impact to 2030 and beyond. The IUCN World Heritage Strategy will be implemented by engaging the whole IUCN Union, including the key contributions of IUCN Members and IUCN Commissions, via new and enhanced global IUCN initiatives on World Heritage, and a series of new regional World Heritage affirmative action plans, coordinated via IUCN’s network of regional and country offices.