South Sudan has submitted its first-ever nomination dossier to UNESCO for the inscription of the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape on the World Heritage List.
The file was presented in Paris, France, by Sarah Nyanath
Elijah, Minister of Culture, Museums and National Heritage, who led the South
Sudan delegation and formally submitted the nomination to Khaled El-Enany,
Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).
The nomination will be reviewed by the UNESCO World Heritage
Committee during its 48th session, scheduled to take place in Busan, Republic
of Korea, from 19 to 29 July 2026.
“This achievement reflects our nation's commitment to
protecting one of the world's most extraordinary wildlife, migration and
ecosystem for present and future generations,” Nyanath said in a statement on
Sunday.
UNESCO also reaffirmed its support for South Sudan’s
heritage protection efforts and sustainable development goals.
The Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape covers about 37,500
square kilometres and includes Boma National Park in the east and Badingilo
National Park in the west, connected by an unprotected wildlife corridor.
The area is characterized by savannah grasslands, woodlands,
and seasonal wetlands fed by rivers such as the Kinyeti, Lotilla, and Kengen,
which eventually drain into the Pibor and Sobat river systems.
The region experiences seasonal flooding and dry-season
burning, natural processes that help maintain its grassland ecosystems.
Vegetation includes species such as Hyparrhenia, Sporobolus,
and Acacia woodlands.
The landscape is also home to wildlife populations,
including African elephants, Nubian giraffes, and cheetahs.
A 2023 aerial survey by African Parks and partners found
that the area supports what is considered the world’s largest land mammal
migration, involving an estimated six million antelope, including white-eared
kob, tiang, Mongalla gazelle, and Bohor reedbuck.
The Sudd Swamps, part of South Sudan’s wider wetland system,
are also among the largest wetlands in Africa and the second largest in the
world.
If approved, the nomination would place the Boma-Badingilo
Migratory Landscape among the world’s most recognized natural heritage sites.