UGANDA PLEDGES BIGGER HERITAGE INVESTMENT TO HOST AFRICA'S REPORTING LAUNCH

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Ms Doreen Katusiime, addresses delegates during Uganda's high-level side event in Busan, as Dr Jackline Nyirachiza Besigye, Head of the Department of Museums and Monuments, looks on.

Uganda reaffirmed its heritage leadership in Busan on 24 July 2026, doubling its AWHF funding pledge and securing host rights for Africa's periodic reporting launch.

The commitments were unveiled at a high-level side event held alongside the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, positioning Uganda at the forefront of a continental push to protect Africa's cultural and natural treasures as engines of identity, education and economic transformation.

A Continental Platform in Busan

The event, titled "Positioning Africa: Advancing Leadership, Cooperation and Empowered Action Beyond Statutory," was co-organised by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Government of Uganda and the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF). It brought together members of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO partners, heritage experts, African States Parties and international stakeholders together to synergies toward a stronger African influence in global heritage governance.

Leading Uganda's delegation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Ms Doreen Katusiime, emphasized heritage conservation as a pillar of sustainable national development.

"At the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, through the Department of Museums and Monuments, we continue to strengthen the identification, conservation, protection and sustainable management of Uganda's heritage sites. These irreplaceable treasures remain a source of identity, education and economic transformation," she said.

Speaking both as Uganda's representative and as a member of the AWHF Board of Governors for the East African region, Ms Katusiime congratulated the Fund on its 20th anniversary, calling it "a remarkable institution that has become a foundation for the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention across Africa."

Kampala to Host Landmark Anniversary and Reporting Launch

In a significant demonstration of Uganda's commitment to the continent's heritage agenda, Ms Katusiime announced that Uganda will host the AWHF's 20th Anniversary Colloquium in Kampala in October 2026.

"We look forward to welcoming colleagues from across Africa and beyond to engage in a dialogue on the future of African heritage, the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and the partnerships required to safeguard our heritage for future generations," she said.

Uganda also confirmed it will host the first workshop for National Focal Points under Africa's Periodic Reporting exercise, a companion commitment to the country's separately announced role as host of the launch of Africa's Fourth Cycle of UNESCO World Heritage Periodic Reporting, one of the Convention's core monitoring mechanisms for tracking how States Parties protect and manage World Heritage properties. The Fourth Cycle follows UNESCO's decision to begin a new reporting cycle in July 2026, with Africa among the first regions to undertake the exercise.

Delegates from across Africa and the international heritage community participate in the high-level side event, "Positioning Africa: Advancing Leadership, Cooperation and Empowered Action Beyond Statutory," held alongside the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan. The dialogue strengthened partnerships and reinforced Africa's collective commitment to safeguarding its cultural and natural heritage through enhanced cooperation, sustainable investment and stronger representation in global heritage governance.

The Ugandan delegation for the reporting launch was led by Ms Katusiime, representing Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Col (Rtd) Tom Butime, and included the Head of the Sites and Monuments Department, Dr Jackline Nyirachiza Besigye, alongside representatives of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and stakeholders from Buganda Kingdom.

"Uganda is honoured to host this important continental milestone, which reflects our commitment to preserving heritage as a foundation for identity, education, conservation and sustainable tourism development. Heritage belongs not only to the present generation but also to those who will come after us. Through strengthened partnerships and responsible management, we can ensure that Africa's heritage continues to inspire the world," Ms Katusiime said.

Dr Besigye added that the reporting cycle would sharpen the country's conservation tools. "The Fourth Cycle of UNESCO Periodic Reporting provides an opportunity for Uganda and other African States Parties to reflect on progress, address challenges and strengthen mechanisms for protecting heritage resources. Effective documentation, monitoring and community engagement remain critical to ensuring that heritage places retain their value and meaning," she said.

Doubling Down on Investment

Further underscoring its commitment, Uganda announced it will double its voluntary annual contribution to the AWHF, from US$10,000 to US$20,000, over the next five years, a pledge already built into the country's budget and medium-term expenditure framework.

The increased funding builds on Uganda's long partnership with the AWHF, which has backed several capacity-building initiatives and supported conservation milestones, including the removal of the Kasubi Tombs from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Closing Africa's Recognition Gap

Turning to the continent's broader challenges, Ms Katusiime noted that although Africa holds some of the world's richest concentrations of cultural and natural heritage, it remains under-represented on the World Heritage List.

"Africa's extraordinary heritage deserves greater global recognition, stronger conservation efforts and sustained investment," she said, calling for deeper international partnerships, predictable financial support and greater recognition of African perspectives within global heritage governance frameworks.

The Busan side event also spotlighted ongoing discussions to embed the concept of African Authenticity within UNESCO's Operational Guidelines, ensuring the continent's heritage values, lived experiences and knowledge systems are meaningfully reflected in international heritage processes.

Uganda's delegation to the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee poses for a commemorative photo in Busan, Republic of Korea, where the country reaffirmed its leadership in Africa's heritage agenda. During the high-level engagements, Uganda announced it would double its annual voluntary contribution to the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) to US$20,000 over the next five years and secured the honour of hosting the AWHF's 20th Anniversary Colloquium and the launch of Africa's Fourth Cycle of UNESCO World Heritage Periodic Reporting in Kampala in October 2026.

A Legal Foundation at Home

Uganda's international commitments rest on a domestic legal framework anchored by the amended Museums and Monuments Act, 1967, which governs the preservation of historical monuments and objects of archaeological, paleontological, ethnographical and traditional significance.

The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda also recognises the importance of protecting the country's cultural heritage, alongside wildlife, land and environmental laws that reinforce the broader duty of safeguarding heritage assets, commitments that complement Uganda's obligations under the World Heritage Convention, the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and other global instruments.