UNESCO has currently designated two UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa, located in two state parties, Tanzania and Morocco. There are plans for national geoparks in an initial phase that could be further developed to gain the UNESCO recognition.[1] Also on an international level, several sites of geoheritage values are inscribed on the World Heritage list under criterion VIII and/or criterion VII.
Africa has a globally significant geodiversity that represents geological-geomorphological processes from the Archean to the Quaternary. However, the acknowledgement of the continent's geodiversity is still lagging behind the recognition of its biodiversity, many areas of global importance are not represented under international agreements, and national legislative acts on the protection of geoheritage are limited.
| UNESCO Global Geopark | Image | Location | Area (km2) | Year | Geodiversity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M'Goun | Drâa-Tafilalet Region Morocco31.5°N -6.45°W | 5730 | 2014 | Central High Atlas. Geological evolution mainly in the Triassic to Jurassic periods. Key geosites: tectonic structures and sedimentary sequences, such as Synclinale d'Iouaridène, Zaouit Ahança or Ait Abdi, and important paleontological sites such as Ait Blal or Ibaqualliwn.[2] [3] | ||
| Ngorongoro-Lengai | Arusha Region, -1.6786°N 36.6094°W | 11886 | 2018 | East African Rift Valley. Primary geoheritage values: intracontinental rifting. Ol Doinyo Lengai is globally unique with its natro-carbonatite lavas, Ngorongoro caldera gives a habitat for wildlife species. Other: Olduvai Gorge or Laetoli, both of global paleontological relevance.[4] [5] |
The African Geoparks Network (AGN) was founded in 2009 in Abidjan by the African Association of Women in Geosciences (AAWG) during the 5th Conference of Women and Geosciences for Peace. The scope of the organization is not limited to Africa sensum stricto, but the Middle East is also associated with it. With its mission to improve the situation of geoheritage in the region, the main objectives are the following:
AGN, together with AAWG is the organizer of the International conference on Geoparks in Africa and the Middle East (ICGAME). Events of this conference series are the following:
| 1st ICGAME[6] | 20–28 November 2011 | El Jadida (Morocco) | Aspiring Geoparks in Africa and Arab World | |
| 2nd ICGAME[7] | 1–4 October 2014 | Dakar (Senegal) | Geoheritage in the service of local sustainable development | |
| 3rd ICGAME[8] | 20–24 March 2018 | El Jadida (Morocco) | Geoheritage and Geoconservation: concepts, advancements and challenges | |
| 4th ICGAME[9] | 1–5 April 2020 | Beirut (Lebanon) | Geoheritage, gateway to sustainable development and peace building |
In 2019 November, it was announced[10] [11] that the African UNESCO Global Geopark Network is founded, as the 4th regional geopark network of Global Geoparks Network (GGN). Its primary aim is to function as a platform to support the promotion of the UNESCO Global Geopark concept and the capacity building of the numerous geopark initiatives and projects on the continent. The official launch of the organization is expected with the 1st African UNESCO Global Geoparks International Conference in Arusha, Tanzania in May 2020.
Ten sights are represented currently on the World Heritage list under criterion VIII,[12] as an outstanding representative of Earth's history:
Further sites are inscribed under criterion VII[13] of superlative natural phenomena and aesthetic importance. Some of them, which have a special geoheritage importance are: