Bijagós to World Heritage: Sissoco Embaló congratulates

The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, welcomed this Monday the elevation of the Bijagós Islands to Natural World Heritage status .

In a post on its website, the Guinean Presidency “officially communicates the decision of UNESCO,” the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which recognized “the Bijagós archipelago as a World Natural Heritage Site, due to its unique ecological, cultural and environmental value.”

"The President of the Republic, General Umaro Sissoco Embaló, congratulates himself on this historic distinction, which represents international recognition of the importance of the archipelago and of Guinea-Bissau's ongoing commitment to environmental preservation and the involvement of local communities," the publication reads.

The Presidency recalls that the archipelago, made up of 88 islands and islets, "is home to one of the richest biodiversity in West Africa, including emblematic species such as sea turtles, marine hippos and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds."

For the Guinean head of state, "this recognition reinforces Guinea-Bissau's position as a benchmark in the protection of global natural heritage and creates new opportunities for sustainable development and responsible ecotourism."

The publication also states that “the Government of Guinea-Bissau reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of this territory of universal value and thanks all national and international partners who contributed to this achievement.”

The decision was announced this Monday morning, at the 47th meeting of the World Heritage Committee, which runs until Wednesday, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

The center of the classification are the islands of the three natural parks, Orango, João Vieira and Poilão and Urok and a surrounding buffer zone.