Tanzania has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the Ngorongoro Conservation Area by strengthening cooperation with UNESCO, its advisory bodies and other international partners, while maintaining that conservation efforts must go hand in hand with improving the livelihoods of local communities.
The government's approach was presented during a special seminar held on the sidelines of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, where delegates from 36 countries, representatives of international organisations, conservation experts, traditional leaders and civil society groups gathered to discuss the future of one of Africa's most significant heritage sites.
Opening the seminar, Tanzania's Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Saidi Yakubu, said the country remains committed to transparent engagement and constructive dialogue with international partners to ensure the long-term protection of Ngorongoro's Outstanding Universal Value.
He said Tanzania has formally invited UNESCO and its advisory bodies the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to undertake a Reactive Monitoring Mission at the conservation area, a move aimed at strengthening collaborative oversight and informed decision-making.
"Tanzania believes sustainable conservation requires close cooperation between government, local communities and the international community," Ambassador Yakubu said.
The seminar also heard presentations from the Executive Secretary of the Tanzania National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM), Prof Malebo, and the Commissioner of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), who outlined the site's historical significance, its global heritage value, the pressures it faces and the government's ongoing efforts to balance conservation with socio-economic development.
Addressing participants, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, commended Tanzania for its continued engagement with UNESCO, IUCN, ICOMOS and local stakeholders.
He said the collaborative approach had enabled agreement on deploying a UNESCO technical mission to Ngorongoro in the near future to conduct the Reactive Monitoring Mission.
Representatives from member states also welcomed Tanzania's efforts to improve dialogue on the conservation area.
The United Arab Emirates' Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Ali Abdullah Al Ali, said the seminar provided valuable historical context on Ngorongoro, including the evolution of its multiple land-use system established in 1959 and the demographic pressures arising from growing human and livestock populations.
He said Tanzania's emphasis on protecting both the site and the well-being of its communities demonstrated a balanced approach to implementing the World Heritage Convention.
Armenia's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Aram Hakobyan, said the discussions had broadened participants' understanding of the conservation area's diverse communities—including the Maasai, Datoga, Iraqw and Hadzabe—and stressed the importance of ensuring all groups remain actively involved in conservation and development initiatives.
Participants urged Tanzania to continue expanding public education and international communication on Ngorongoro, saying greater access to factual information would help strengthen global understanding of the conservation challenges and the measures being implemented to address them.
The seminar concluded with an open discussion and the screening of a documentary on Ngorongoro, as Tanzania reiterated its commitment to working with UNESCO and international partners to preserve the site's Outstanding Universal Value for future generations while supporting sustainable development for communities living in and around the conservation area.
