Paris: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched the “Supporting capacity-building of World Heritage sites in East Africa” project, financed by the Sultanate.

In a statement on its website, UNESCO said the ambassadors of the Sultanate of Oman, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, United Republic of Tanzania and representative from Somalia joined the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to launch the three-year project entitled: “Supporting capacity-building of World Heritage sites in East Africa” financed by the Sultanate of Oman.

Dr Hamad bin Saif al Hamami, the Sultanate’s Permanent Representative to the UNESCO, reiterated the Sultanate’s commitment to provide support to the Eastern Africa region in the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, he emphasized that the launch of this project is a good start for stronger collaboration between the Sultanate of Oman and the Eastern Africa region.

Ms Mechtild Rössler, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre stressed the importance of this project that is anchored in UNESCO’s Global Strategy to encourage countries to become States Parties to the Convention and to support them in preparing Tentative Lists and credible nomination dossiers that will be represented on the World Heritage List. This project will also contribute to the objectives and main actions of UNESCO Priority Africa, the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and Aspiration 5 of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

E Mr Samwel William Shelukindo, Representative of Tanzania to UNESCO extended his thanks to the Sultanate for financing the project, stressing the urgent need of rehabilitation of the House of Wonders in Stone Town Zanzibar and thanked the timely support of the Sultanate of Oman in this regard. — ONA