NGORONGORO: TANZANIA is seeking to strengthen international cooperation in conservation, scientific research, education and heritage tourism around the Ngorongoro-Lengai UNESCO Global Geopark and Olduvai Gorge, which form part of the country’s internationally recognised natural and cultural heritage.
Tanzania’s Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Saidi Yakubu, said the sites offered opportunities to deepen cooperation in conservation, research, training, technology and knowledge exchange.
Amb Yakubu made the remarks during a recent visit to Ngorongoro, where he toured the Ngorongoro -Lengai UNESCO Global Geopark and Olduvai Gorge.
He was accompanied by Deputy Executive Secretary of the Tanzania National Commission for UNESCO Khamis Khalid Said, as well as officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
Amb Yakubu said the two sites had contributed to Tanzania’s international standing in human history, geological science, conservation and heritage tourism.
He said UNESCO recognition should be used to strengthen international partnerships while ensuring Tanzanian experts remained at the centre of conservation, research and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
At Ngorongoro, Amb Yakubu met Ngorongoro Conservation Area Chief Conservator Commissioner Abdulrazak Badru, Deputy Conservator Joan Makwati, Geopark Museum Head Agness Gidna and Olduvai Gorge Station Head Ikayo Sambeta.
He commended the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) leadership and experts for their work in conserving, researching and promoting the area’s heritage.
Amb Yakubu said Olduvai Gorge and the Ngorongoro-Lengai UNESCO Global Geopark should continue to support Tanzania’s tourism and heritage sector, attracting visitors for their landscapes and wildlife as well as their scientific and historical importance.
Olduvai Gorge has long been associated with research into human evolution, while the Ngorongoro-Lengai area combines geological, ecological and cultural features.
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Tanzania’s heritage extends beyond the northern tourism circuit. The country has seven properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, comprising cultural, natural and mixed heritage sites. They include Serengeti National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Stone Town of Zanzibar, the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara, and the Kondoa Rock-Art Sites
The sites reflect different aspects of Tanzania’s history and identity, from wildlife and landscapes to ancient settlements, archaeological remains and rock art.
Along the Indian Ocean coast, the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara preserve remains of Swahili trading cities that were part of the wider Indian Ocean trading network involving Africa, Arabia, India and China.
Serengeti National Park is known for its large savannah ecosystem and annual wildlife migration, while Kilimanjaro National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area add further natural and cultural dimensions to Tanzania’s World Heritage portfolio.
Amb Yakubu called for continued partnerships around Tanzania’s internationally recognised heritage to promote conservation, scientific research, skills development, technology transfer and knowledge sharing.
He said the country’s heritage should be presented internationally as more than a tourism resource, given its contribution to understanding the Earth, human history, science and culture.
For Tanzania, stronger links between conservation, research and tourism could help sustain internationally recognised sites while expanding opportunities for education, scientific collaboration and heritage-based tourism.
Amb Yakubu said continued investment in Tanzanian institutions and expertise would be important to ensuring the country’s heritage is conserved, researched and promoted for future generations.