Written by: Badr Ahmed

In a move reflecting South Sudan’s efforts to enhance its presence on the international stage and highlight its natural and heritage resources, a high-level government delegation headed to the French capital, Paris, to submit the nomination file for the Boma-Badengelo region to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with the aim of including it in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Paris receives South Sudan's nomination file for Boma-Badengelo to UNESCO

The delegation was headed by Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage Sara Nyanath, accompanied by Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Denay Juk Shakur. This step represents an important milestone in the young nation’s efforts to introduce the world to one of its most prominent natural sites of exceptional environmental and cultural value.

The Boma-Badengelo region is one of the most important ecosystems in Africa, encompassing vast expanses of plains and natural grasslands that support rich biodiversity, and serving as a habitat for one of the world's largest wildlife migrations. The region also represents a vital natural and cultural resource for the local communities who live in its vicinity and depend on its resources for their traditional activities.

The nomination aims to highlight the region's global importance in terms of biodiversity and wildlife conservation, as well as its cultural and heritage value as part of South Sudan's national identity. Officials hope that international recognition of the site will garner further support for environmental protection and conservation efforts, particularly given the challenges facing the region's natural resources.

Observers believe that including Boma-Badengelo on the World Heritage List will open new horizons for the tourism sector in South Sudan, by attracting visitors, researchers and those interested in wildlife from around the world, which will positively impact the local economy and provide new opportunities for sustainable development.

The nomination also enhances South Sudan’s image as a country with unique natural and heritage assets, which it seeks to utilize in supporting development and preserving the environmental legacy for future generations, at a time when the importance of protecting natural sites of global value is increasing in the face of accelerating environmental and climatic changes.