The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) facilitated the registration of four new African heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the last six months, officials announced during board meetings hosted by Egypt.
The 38th session of the AWHF Board of Directors, held in Cairo, was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates. The meetings were opened by Ambassador Amr El-Sherbiny, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, and attended by Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, alongside permanent representatives from South Africa and Namibia.
The Fund reported significant conservation progress during the half-year period, specifically citing the removal of three African sites from the List of World Heritage in Danger. These developments followed the World Heritage Committee’s session in July 2025.
Operational achievements detailed during the meetings included the training of 160 individuals to strengthen the capacity of African national heritage institutions. The Fund also extended financial grants to four nations for heritage protection, research, and training initiatives.
In addition to technical support, the Fund organised two major forums in Zambia and Kenya. These events, which drew 450 heritage experts, culminated in the issuance of two formal declarations linking world heritage with sustainable development.
The proceedings concluded with a visit to the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board.
Participants at the meeting characterised the Grand Egyptian Museum as a “source of inspiration” for fellow African states and a continental model for the preservation of national heritage.
