By Sulaiman Jalloh
In a landmark achievement, Sierra Leone has earned its first UNESCO World Heritage Site designation with the official inscription of the Gola-Tiwai Complex—a critical component of the Upper Guinea Forest Ecosystem renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity and cultural value.
The announcement was made in Paris and hailed as a significant victory for the nation under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio. The Gola-Tiwai Complex is home to endangered species such as the pygmy hippopotamus, western chimpanzee, and the rare white-necked picathartes, along with hundreds of unique plant and animal species that make it one of the most ecologically important regions in West Africa.
The designation ceremony was attended by key government figures, including the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Jiwoh E. Abdulai; Sierra Leone’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Margaret Jah-Matturi; and environmentalist Tommy Garnett, founder of the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA), who has been at the forefront of conservation efforts in the region for over two decades.
Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Nabeela Tunis, described the recognition as a major milestone for Sierra Leone’s 2025 Year of Ecotourism campaign. She emphasized the potential of the site to boost eco-tourism, cultural preservation, and sustainable development, particularly in forest-edge communities.
The inscription of the Gola-Tiwai Complex is the result of years of collaboration between the Government of Sierra Leone, local communities, and international conservation partners. It is expected to attract new investments, academic research, and job opportunities, while enhancing Sierra Leone’s contributions to global biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
Moving forward, the government will work with UNESCO and local stakeholders to implement a comprehensive management plan that ensures the long-term protection and sustainable integration of the site within the global World Heritage framework.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday,21th July, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
