The Sahara and Sahel Observatory is organizing, in collaboration with the Supervisory Administrators of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex protected areas and the GIZ, the 2023 report elaboration session in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from January 8 to 14, 2024.
The report is expected to describe the conservation status of said Complex. This initiative follows Decision 45 COM 7B.79 of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, calling upon the States Parties (Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger) to submit an updated report on the Complex conservation status by February 1, 2024, so that it keeps its universal value. The event brings together the WAP-SA, the protected area managers, OSS experts as well as representatives of the Complex surrounding communities.
Since 2017, the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, the largest trans-boundary biosphere reserve in the savannahs of West Africa, has been listed as a UNESCO cultural and natural world heritage site. As such, through the AF-funded AdaptWAP project, the OSS has been taking actions to protect and preserve the Complex and guarantee its value and natural balance. These actions mainly focus on institutional reinforcement for climate change integration into the management of the complex, the improvement of the resilience of ecosystems and local communities through the establishment of a Multi-Risk Early Warning System (MR-EWS) and adaptation measures in the three countries, as well as capacity building of the key players for a sustainable management of the WAP natural resources.
Along with the report elaboration sessions, an experience sharing and exchange session between the WAP Supervisory Administrators and the delegation of the Tri-National de la Sangha (TNS) trans-boundary protected area will take place on January 11, 2024 with the aim of consolidating good practices in the management and conservation of trans-boundary properties of the UNESCO World Heritage List.