Global Priority Africa

 

04025     Major Programme IV’s support for Global Priority Africa will be targeted on the enhanced implementation of the conventions in the field of culture, notably the 1972, 2003 and 2005 Conventions.

04026     As concerns World Heritage sites in Africa, the focus will be on capacity-building, including in post-conflict countries, for a better conservation of cultural and natural heritage, and by promoting cooperation between African countries through sharing of best practices, and the development of transnational World Heritage nominations, as well as activities linking heritage conservation to sustainable development. Cooperation with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) will be further strengthened to achieve common objectives.

04027     A specific strategy will address the question of illicit trafficking and looting of cultural property in post-conflict countries.

04028     Regarding the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, particular attention will be paid to the strengthening of human and institutional capacities to achieve better implementation of the Convention at the national level and increase the participation of African Member States in the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention, resulting in increased nominations to the Lists established by the Convention and additional requests for international assistance.

04029     As to the protection of cultural heritage during hostilities, those African Member States which are party to the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention will be encouraged to submit their candidatures for the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict as well as to forward their applications for the granting of enhanced protection in order to achieve a diversified and balanced List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.

04030     Special focus will be placed on providing technical assistance for policy development, implementation and evaluation, fostering public-private partnerships in the cultural industries, as well as the collection and dissemination of best practice cases on the implementation of the 2005 Convention by States Parties as well as civil society organizations in Africa. UNESCO will also strengthen its policy advice and capacity-building with a view to fostering the emergence of local, viable markets and accessing international networks, notably in the music, craft and textile industries.

04031     Efforts to support the sustainability and development of museums in Africa will focus on developing professional capacities in conservation and public programming skills. Cooperation with major African professional networks and training institutions, including AFRICOM, EPA and CHDA, will be reinforced.

04032     As regards dialogue among cultures, emphasis will be placed on the pedagogical use of the General History of Africa through the elaboration of common curricula and teaching materials for primary and secondary schools, as well as the improvement of teacher training in history and the harmonization of history courses in higher education. A better knowledge of the slave trade and its consequences on Africa and the contribution of the African diaspora will be actively promoted in light of the renewed impetus provided by the International Year for People of African Descent, 2011.

04033     Efforts will also be directed at strengthening a socio-cultural approach to HIV and AIDS prevention and care by local communities, notably in United Nations joint programmes.

04034     Finally, but not least, efforts towards regional integration will be renewed through the strengthening of the cooperation and the strategic partnership between UNESCO and African regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union through the AU Sub-Cluster on Culture and Sports in the framework of the Regional Consultation Mechanism Meeting of United Nations Agencies and Organizations working in Africa in support of the African Union and its NEPAD programmes, and the annual technical cooperation planning meetings on culture with the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Organization will support the African Union in the implementation of the main decisions adopted at the Khartoum Summit in 2006, especially those regarding the link between culture and education, the Charter of the African Cultural Renaissance and the Action Plan for the promotion of creative industries for African development.