Sierra Leone has secured its first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Gola-Tiwai Complex – renowned for its ecological, cultural, and scientific value – has now been formally inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, placing Sierra Leone firmly on the global map of environmental conservation and cultural recognition.
The Gola-Tiwai Complex is one of West Africa’s last remaining primary forests located in the Upper Guinea Ecosystem, a global biodiversity hotspot. It is home to rare and endangered species including the pygmy hippo, western chimpanzee, and white-necked picathartes, along with hundreds of plants, birds, and insect species found nowhere else on earth.
In his speech to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, Jiwoh E. Abdulai, Sierra Leone’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, said: “The inscription of the Gola-Tiwai Complex as Sierra Leone’s first World Heritage Site marks a significant milestone for our country, one that not only honours the outstanding universal value of this exceptional natural landscape, but also affirms Sierra Leone’s unwavering commitment to the shared principles of conservation, international cooperation and sustainable development.”
Also in attendance at the official announcement were Madam Margaret Jah-Matturi, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and Tommy Garnett the Founder and Executive Director of the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA), who also chairs the board of the National Protected Areas Authority.
The EFA has long overseen the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the cornerstones of the newly designated site.
“The World Heritage designation of the Gola-Tiwai Complex is a landmark achievement for Sierra Leone’s tourism sector,” said Hon. Nabeela Tunis, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. She added that: “Aligned with our 2025 Year of Ecotourism campaign, this recognition affirms the deep cultural heritage tied to our natural landscapes. It creates new pathways for community-based tourism, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. Tourism is everybody’s business in Sierra Leone.”