There are presently 91 World Heritage Sites in Africa - 43 cultural sites, 37 natural sites and 5 mixed sites. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is vying for this listing as well, to be seen among the ranks of such famous places as Victoria Falls, Historic Cairo, Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, and many other natural wonders and great historical sites.
On Wednesday, I was extremely fortunate to sit in on a meeting with a committee from the IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. IUCN is the technical advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, part of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Several delegates, along with their field team, are visiting and consulting with many groups in the area over the course of the week, gathering different perspectives and research to further understand the situation of the Okavango Delta region. Last year, the Botswana government submitted a nomination application to UNESCO for the Okavango Delta to be established as a Natural World Heritage Site. The application was well-received, and now the IUCN is carrying out further studies to gain more information and to test if the Okavango Delta meets the standards and qualifications. The organisation where I am working, TOCaDI, was identified as a key organisation in the area working on the ground with the people, so they are a key stakeholder, beneficiary and source of information, as its projects focus mainly on tourism and cultural development of marginalized communities in the Okavango sub-district.
In order to become a World Heritage Site, the site must demonstrate "outstanding universal value", meaning significance globally in terms of biodiversity, ecological processes and natural beauty, and it must be a "pristine natural system", meaning the integrity of the site remains intact and relatively unaltered by humans. To determine this, they look at the degree to which it is a conserved natural system, as well as looking at the management systems, structures and laws that will ensure the pristine state remains in the long-term.
On Wednesday, I was extremely fortunate to sit in on a meeting with a committee from the IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. IUCN is the technical advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, part of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Several delegates, along with their field team, are visiting and consulting with many groups in the area over the course of the week, gathering different perspectives and research to further understand the situation of the Okavango Delta region. Last year, the Botswana government submitted a nomination application to UNESCO for the Okavango Delta to be established as a Natural World Heritage Site. The application was well-received, and now the IUCN is carrying out further studies to gain more information and to test if the Okavango Delta meets the standards and qualifications. The organisation where I am working, TOCaDI, was identified as a key organisation in the area working on the ground with the people, so they are a key stakeholder, beneficiary and source of information, as its projects focus mainly on tourism and cultural development of marginalized communities in the Okavango sub-district.
In order to become a World Heritage Site, the site must demonstrate "outstanding universal value", meaning significance globally in terms of biodiversity, ecological processes and natural beauty, and it must be a "pristine natural system", meaning the integrity of the site remains intact and relatively unaltered by humans. To determine this, they look at the degree to which it is a conserved natural system, as well as looking at the management systems, structures and laws that will ensure the pristine state remains in the long-term.
Achieving World Heritage Site status is more than just a label. As was discussed in the meeting, there would be many benefits for the region, the people and the country as well. There would be increased international pressure, forcing the Botswana government to be more responsive to issues facing the environment and the people in the Okavango region. As a result, the listing will enhance tourism potential in the area - in order for tourism to contribute significantly to the GDP of the country, as is the goal, the government in Gaborone needs to take notice. If this status comes through, TOCaDI would be well positioned to play a key role in ensuring the opportunities that will likely arise can be harnessed to benefit the people of the region. | |
However, not everything is as easy as it sounds. Achieving World Heritage Site status does not guarantee that the system remains pristine, that tourism will flourish and that the people will thrive. Government structures and finances need to be there to implement the Okavango Delta management plan that exists, there needs to be a better link between government, civil society and the private sector (yes, the infamous INDEV triangle was brought up in the meeting), the locals need new entry points into the tourism industry, resources need to be harmonized, and locals need to be engaged and build their capacities. Some of these resources and potential do exist - other organisations, councils and funds have been identified as having the capacity to contribute to successful long-term preservation of the Delta and its subsequent contributions to national tourism.
While the application is for the Delta as a natural site, it is also important for the cultural significance of the land in the area to be considered. The San people were discussed as having a cultural link to the Okavango Delta lands, and so it is important not only to include them when evaluating the natural merits of the Okavango region as they relate to the people, but if given World Heritage Status it is critical to ensure that the San aren't marginalized further or that their sacred lands aren't exploited for tourism.
The meeting was overall very informative. I am both extremely privileged and grateful to have had the opportunity to participate. Despite TOCaDI working a lot with the people of the region and focusing on cultural development and tourism, I found it interesting, though not surprising, that much of the discussions on potential benefits and importance to the region revolved around money, politics and reputation. I had to laugh to myself sometimes at the words that were thrown around, as hypothetical ideas that would maybe be possible, or the words that were manipulated to make things sound more impressive, the questions that were tactfully avoided being answered, the overt bragging that was done, and the occasional joke or banter that could have been out place, but was laughed off by everyone in an awkward business-like manner. Unfortunately, I had to leave for another meeting immediately after, so was not able to stay and chat over lunch with the committee, though I appreciated that two of the delegates made a point of talking to both Bailey and I before we rushed off, specifically wanting to hear our opinions and if we had any information to add.
The pending status looks promising for the Okavango Delta, so next year when the application and all its collected information from research, stakeholders and meetings such as this one are reviewed by the World Heritage Committee, it is very likely that we will see the Okavango Delta come out as a Natural World Heritage Site. I just hope that Botswana can take full advantage of this honour and use it to improve the region and the country.
While the application is for the Delta as a natural site, it is also important for the cultural significance of the land in the area to be considered. The San people were discussed as having a cultural link to the Okavango Delta lands, and so it is important not only to include them when evaluating the natural merits of the Okavango region as they relate to the people, but if given World Heritage Status it is critical to ensure that the San aren't marginalized further or that their sacred lands aren't exploited for tourism.
The meeting was overall very informative. I am both extremely privileged and grateful to have had the opportunity to participate. Despite TOCaDI working a lot with the people of the region and focusing on cultural development and tourism, I found it interesting, though not surprising, that much of the discussions on potential benefits and importance to the region revolved around money, politics and reputation. I had to laugh to myself sometimes at the words that were thrown around, as hypothetical ideas that would maybe be possible, or the words that were manipulated to make things sound more impressive, the questions that were tactfully avoided being answered, the overt bragging that was done, and the occasional joke or banter that could have been out place, but was laughed off by everyone in an awkward business-like manner. Unfortunately, I had to leave for another meeting immediately after, so was not able to stay and chat over lunch with the committee, though I appreciated that two of the delegates made a point of talking to both Bailey and I before we rushed off, specifically wanting to hear our opinions and if we had any information to add.
The pending status looks promising for the Okavango Delta, so next year when the application and all its collected information from research, stakeholders and meetings such as this one are reviewed by the World Heritage Committee, it is very likely that we will see the Okavango Delta come out as a Natural World Heritage Site. I just hope that Botswana can take full advantage of this honour and use it to improve the region and the country.