From September to October 2021, five sub-regional meetings were organized with African site managers from Eastern, Central, Southern, Western and Northern Africa to elect the members of the Interim Committee of the African Site Managers Network. 15 members were elected (3 members per sub-region) to work as the Interim Committee to ensure the official establishment of the African Site Managers Network by 5th May 2022.

The 15 elected members are (by order of sub-region):

  • Mr. Jean François Lafleur, Le Morne Cultural Landscape (Mauritius)
  • Mr James Ilukol Okware, Rwenzori Mountains National Park (Uganda)
  • Ms. Mercy Mbogelah, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (United Republic of Tanzania)
  • Mr. Alhadji Somba Byombo Ghislain, Garamba National Park (DRC)
  • Mr. Gilbert Oum Ndjock, Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon)
  • Mr. Pierre Kafando, Salonga National Park (DRC)
  • Mr. Mags Pillay, Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (South Africa)
  • Mr. Todini Runganga, Khami Ruins National Monument (Zimbabwe)
  • Mr. Powell Motsumi, Tsodilo (Botswana)
  • Mr. Eloi Coly, Island of Gorée (Senegal)
  • Mr. El-Boukhari Ben Essayouti, Timbuktu (Mali)
  • Mr. Claudio Tavares Ramos, Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande (Cabo Verde)
  • Mr. Mohamed Sameh Mohamed Antar, Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) (Egypt)
  • Mr. Mohamed Boussalh, Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou (Morocco)
  • Mr. Hadj Said Riadh, Medina of Sousse (Tunisia)

The five sub-regional meetings, moderated by the facilitators from each sub-region: Mr Seydou Nourou Kane, Manager of the Stone Circles of Senegambia (Senegal), Ms Chantal Shalukoma, Manager of the Virunga National Park (DRC), Ms Fatma Twahir, Manager of Fort Jesus, Mombasa (Kenya), Ms Charity Ndlovu, Manager of Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe) and Mr Montassar Jmour, Manager of the Medina of Tunis (Tunisia) , presented the progress of the initiative of African Site Managers Network, which started to emerge during the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in 2011.

The African Site Managers Network is one of the flagship activities of the Regional Action Plan for Africa (2021-2027) following the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in the Africa region. It is in line with the UNESCO Global Priority Africa. The key objective of the Network is to enhance the capacity-building on World Heritage in Africa Continent through peer learning, knowledge and experience sharing and networking among African World Heritage site managers.

The elected Interim Committee will meet in November 2021 to define the roadmap to launch the African Site Managers Network in 2022, with the continuous support of UNESCO, ICCROM and the African World Heritage Fund.