Activities >> Sites

Mali: Askia Tombs

Background

After the positive experience of works carried out at Timbuktu in 1996, the Direction du Patrimoine du Mali requested support for the elaboration of a nomination file and management plan for the Tombeau des Askias in Gao, Mali for inscription on the Heritage List. This assistance was to be organized as a complement to the training of Sanogo Kléssigué during the AFRICA 2009 Regional Course held at Porto Novo, Bénin, in 2000. Its implementation was discussed at the occasion of the Directors’ seminar also held in Porto Novo in 2000.

Objectives

• prepare a management plan for the management and conservation of the site;
• prepare a nomination dossier for inscription of the site on the World Heritage List;
• provide training to Malian professionals involved in the dossier preparation process.
  

Structure

The project is being implemented by the Direction du Patrimoine of with the assistance of CRATerre-EAG. A strong, collaborative working relationship has been established benefiting from a number of opportunities to meet within other AFRICA 2009 activities. Work was started by the Direction du Patrimoine at the occasion of a first field mission organized in May 2001. Work continued with a 2 week joint mission in November by Thierry Joffroy of CRATerre-EAG and large team of national professionals. At this time, stakeholders were met and 3 stakeholder meetings organized. A third mission was carried out with support from Lazare Eloundou in 2002. It allowed the project team to finalize the collection of information and to discuss key issues that had been identified earlier. The overall nomination file was completed through email exchanges between Malian team members and staff at CRATerre-EAG.

Results

• The nomination file and management plan have been completed and submitted in 2003 for consideration by World Heritage Committee in 2004.
• The two Malian professionals with primary responsibility for this project have been able to make use of the results of this Projet Situé (as a case study) to the benefit of the 4th AFRICA 2009 regional course and the 4th AFRICA 2009 Directors Seminar.
• More than 43 persons have been involved in the nomination process.
• 4 Malian professionals, covering the fields of Culture, History and architecture took part in the project.