African World Heritage Fund

The main objective of the Fund is to address the challenges faced by the African State Parties in the implementation of the 1972 Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, specifically, the underrepresentation of African sites on the World Heritage List and the insufficient conservation and management of these sites. AWHF became formally a Category II Centre under the auspices of UNESCO in 2010 hence an official partner of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre. The Fund is hosted by the South African government on behalf of the continent.

The African World Heritage Fund’s Mission is to:

• Provide support to identify and list African heritage sites on  the World Heritage List;
• Provide support  and assistance for the conservation and management  of heritage  sites in Africa, particularly those already inscribed on the World Heritage List;
• Rehabilitate sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
• Train heritage experts and site managers as ongoing capacity building;
• Involve communities in decisions concerning their heritage and ensuring that tangible benefits accrue to them.