Oman Showcases Support for African Heritage Capacity Building at UNESCO World Heritage Committee
Muscat, The Gulf Observer: The Sultanate of Oman has highlighted its pioneering efforts in strengthening heritage conservation capacities across Africa during a side event held on the sidelines of the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea.
The event, titled “Strengthening African Expertise in World Heritage,” took place as part of the committee session being held from July 19 to 29, bringing together representatives to discuss the protection and promotion of global cultural and natural heritage.
Delivering Oman’s statement, Ambassador Amna Salim Al Balushi, Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO, emphasized that safeguarding world heritage and ensuring balanced representation on the World Heritage List require long-term strategic partnerships built on knowledge exchange, expertise sharing and the empowerment of national institutions.
She said such partnerships are essential to achieving sustainable development goals while preserving cultural and natural heritage for future generations.
Ambassador Al Balushi noted that, in cooperation with UNESCO, Oman has been implementing a strategic programme since 2021 to support East African countries in strengthening the capacities of national institutions, developing specialized heritage expertise and promoting the participation of local communities in the management of World Heritage sites.
According to the ambassador, the initiative has produced significant results, including support for the inscription of new African sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the updating of tentative heritage lists in several countries, and the training of approximately 250 heritage specialists from across East Africa.
She said these efforts have helped develop a new generation of qualified national professionals capable of managing heritage sites and preparing World Heritage nomination dossiers in accordance with international standards.
Ambassador Al Balushi added that the programme reflects Oman’s commitment to fostering international cooperation and sharing expertise, while recognizing that investment in capacity building is a fundamental pillar for the effective implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
She further noted that the initiative contributes to improving the representation of African countries on the World Heritage List and establishing a sustainable framework for the protection of both cultural and natural heritage.
Reaffirming its commitment to the objectives of the World Heritage Convention, Oman pledged to continue supporting international initiatives that strengthen cooperation among States Parties and safeguard humanity’s shared cultural and natural heritage for present and future generations.
