South Sudan on Monday officially endorsed the nomination of the Boma-Badingilo Landscape for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking a significant milestone in the country’s conservation efforts.
The endorsement comes after the signing of key documents by Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Denay Jock Chagor, and Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage, Sarah Nyanath, to facilitate the submission of the site’s nomination dossier to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
The nomination will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for consideration by the World Heritage Committee, at its meeting expected to be convened in Busan, Republic of Korea, in July 2026.
The Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape, which spans Boma National Park and Badingilo National Park, is home to the world’s largest land mammal migration.
The parks are managed by African Parks in agreement with the government.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Juba, Minister Jock said the move demonstrates South Sudan’s commitment to protecting its unique biodiversity and cultural heritage.
“Now we will be signing and celebrating the work that started some time ago, and will also continue,” he said. “As it was said earlier by the previous speaker, we have to do some labor again, also to make sure that it succeeds at UNESCO. It will also open doors for us to engage with UNESCO on other aspects of working together in cooperation.”
According to Jock, if approved, Boma-Badingilo would become South Sudan’s first World Heritage Site, boosting international recognition.
“I think that this is part of us trying to turn the page on South Sudan, trying to turn the page on how South Sudan is always looked at,” he stated. “You know, in so many places you see people disregarding South Sudan as a place of conflicts, a place of war, a place that does not have peace. But we are trying to tell the world that we are not all that.”
For her part, Minister Nyanath acknowledged UNESCO and African Park for their efforts to ensure recognition of the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape as a World Heritage site.
“At this stage, we are just crossing our fingers, and we are counting on UNESCO and the work we have achieved so far,” she said. “We are looking forward, as the Ministry of Heritage, that our nomination goes through.”
She said the signing of the nomination marks a historic step in strengthening the protection of the landscape and the communities that depend on it.
“I believe you said the process requires a lot of diplomacy, and to the Director General of the Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism, this requires a lot of lobbying,” Nyanath said.