WORLD HERITAGE
LIST
NO
516
A)
IDENTIFICATION
Nomination
:
Natural
and Cultural
Sanctuary
of
the
Bandiagara
Escarpement
Location
:
Region
of Mopti
State
Party
:
Mali
Date
:
December
29,
1988
B)
ICOHOS RBCOHHENDATION
That
this
property
be
included
on
the World
Heritage
List
on
the
basis
of
criterion
V relative
to
the
inclusion
of
cultural
properties
and criterion
III
relative
to
the
inclusion
of
natural
properties.
Cl
JUSTIFICATION
In
1979
the
government
of Mali
proposed
that
the
"Dogon
Country"
be
included
on
the World
Heritage
List.
This
is
a vast
cultural
site
extending
from
14"
to
15'5'
latitude
north
and
from
l"5'
to
4"
longitude
west.
Subsequent
to
the
recommendation
made by
ICOMOS,the
Committee
deferred
the
request
in
1981
pending
a more
precise
definition
of
the
property.
Following
a seminar
held
at
Bamako
in
1987
and a on-site
visit
by an expert
from
ICOMOS,
a
new nomination
concerning
"The
Natural
and Cultural
Sanctuary
of
the
Bandiagara
Escarpement"
was submitted.
Today,
the
protected
zone
has
been
strictly
defined
and a topological
and
typological
inventory
of
the
traditional
Dogon
habitats
found
on
the
property
has been
carried
out.
In
addition,
a management
policy
has been
outlined
for
these
fragile
sites,
which
are
threatened
by changing
perceptions
and
socio-economic
conditions
as well
as
by
the
very
climate
of
the
Sahel
region.
Therefore,
it
is
now
possible
to make a positive
recommendation
for
the
inclusion
of
this
property,
which
in
1981 was
retained
solely
on principle.
Covering
an area
of
350,000
to
400,000
hectares,
the
proposed
zone
stretches
from Gani-do
Fn the
south/southwest
to Koudianga
in
the
north/northeast,
along
the
road
linking
Bankas,
Koporo,
Madougou
and Diankabou.
Its
northern
border
is
the
parallel
at
14"40'
latitude
north.
Then
foilows