The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced that two island regions from West Africa – the Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau and Tiwai Island in Sierra Leone, have been added to its World Heritage list, acknowledging their exceptional ecological and cultural importance.
The announcement was made during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris. As stated by UNESCO, both locations exemplify distinctive natural ecosystems.
Located off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, the Bijagos Archipelago, which consists of 88 islands, has been designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1996. It boasts a rich biodiversity, including dugongs, dolphins, and more than 870,000 migratory birds. Notable sites within the archipelago include Poilao Island, recognized as a significant nesting ground for sea turtles.
Sierra Leone’s Tiwai Island, which spans 12 square kilometers and is situated on the Moa River, forms part of the Gola-Tiwai complex that also encompasses the adjacent Gola Rainforest National Park. This site holds the distinction of being the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the country.
Renowned for its rich biodiversity, the island is home to 11 primate species, including the endangered Diana monkey and Western chimpanzees, in addition to over 130 bird species. The island faced near destruction during the civil war of the 1990s, but it was preserved thanks to initiatives spearheaded by the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA).
During the same session, two additional African sites were added on the UNESCO list. Mount Mulanje in Malawi was recognized for its distinctive endemic flora and well-known hiking trails. Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Diy-Gid-Biy cultural landscape, located in the Mandara Mountains and dating back to the 12th through 17th centuries, was acknowledged for its archaeological significance.
Africa currently hosts more than 100 World Heritage sites, featuring renowned locations such as the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia, and Timbuktu in Mali.
In May, UNESCO committed to assisting the 11 remaining African countries that are not yet represented, in order to facilitate the development of new nominations, as was declared at a recent International Conference on Cultural Heritage held in Kenya.
