Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the protection of cultural heritage by endorsing the Nairobi Outcome Document during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee underway in Busan, South Korea.
The country’s position was presented on July 21, 2026, by Uganda’s ambassador to Paris, who represented the country, H.E. Doreen Ruth Amule, who welcomed the Nairobi Outcome Document on authenticity and integrity. She commended the World Heritage Centre (WHC) for proposing its implementation through institutionalisation and capacity building, saying the approach would strengthen heritage conservation across member states.
Uganda noted that the Nairobi Outcome Document builds on the foundation laid by the 1994 Nara Document on Authenticity, itself rooted in the principles of the 1964 Venice Charter. The delegation said adopting and operationalising the Nairobi document would demonstrate the World Heritage Committee’s commitment to prioritising Africa’s heritage while promoting greater inclusiveness in global heritage conservation.
The delegation further observed that the outcome document would deepen international cooperation, enhance technical capacity and empower local communities, particularly young people, to safeguard their cultural heritage. Uganda maintained that supporting the document affirms Africa’s cultural heritage deserves recognition not only within global heritage systems but also on its own terms.
Uganda also expressed full support for the commencement of the fourth cycle of periodic reporting under the World Heritage Convention. The delegation urged that discussions on the Nairobi Outcome Document should extend beyond the committee sessions to site managers to facilitate its immediate implementation on the ground.
The 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is taking place from July 19 to July 29, 2026, at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in South Korea. The meeting, the first of its kind to be hosted by South Korea since joining the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 1988, has brought together delegates from around the world to deliberate on global heritage conservation, with proceedings streamed live to the public and conducted in English and French with simultaneous interpretation.
