Maputo, July 4, 2025 (Lusa) - The administrator of Maputo National Park said today that he was "very optimistic" about UNESCO's decision, which could elevate the protected area to World Heritage status, and consequently increase the number of tourists.
"We've had the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), which we'll call UNESCO's technical arm: it evaluated the dossier we made, made a field visit, confirmed everything, and gave a positive opinion on the park's nomination as a World Heritage Site, we're very optimistic," Miguel Gonçalves, the administrator of Maputo National Park, told Lusa.
Maputo National Park is one of the five sites nominated with "exceptional potential" for World Heritage status by the IUCN. This decision will be made by UNESCO between 11 and 13 July, during the 47th session of the body, as outlined in the event's programme.
In a note dated 2 June, the IUCN, the official nature adviser to the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), said that if the intergovernmental committee follows its advice at the 47th meeting in Paris, "incredible landscapes, seascapes and areas of rich geodiversity and biodiversity" will receive this status.
Speaking to Lusa, the park administrator stated that the likely elevation of the status will enhance the "visibility of the park", a place to be presented to the world as a UNESCO World Heritage site because it is unique, with "universal values" that are defended by the organisation.
"Above all, it changes the visibility, we want to believe in it and we hope that it can improve and increase the number of visitors, tourists, and we can move in a more consolidated way towards the financial sustainability of the park, with all the consequences for the tourism industry and the development of the communities," said Miguel Gonçalves.
Maputo Park is linked to the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in South Africa, which already has world heritage status.
With the possible elevation of the Mozambican part to World Heritage status, the two parties will move forward with talks to find a new form of management, with the main concern being the movement of species.
"If it materialises, a series of committees and a joint operational plan [with South Africa] will be set up. Management is individual to each country, but there will have to be joint coordination to maintain the value" of both parks, said the administrator.
"This committee is created where we will sit down and discuss approaches to daily management, which will go according to the reality of each country and according to the legislation of each country, and the only thing we have to ensure is what we have indicated to UNESCO: that the universal values remain intact," Gonçalves added.
The history of environmental protection south of the Mozambican capital dates back to 1932, when it was a small hunting area where elephants were the primary prey. In 1969, the importance of local biodiversity led to the area being classified as a Maputo Special Reserve.
The reaction to the decline caused by the civil war that followed independence received its main boost in 2006 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the government and the Peace Parks Foundation.
As a result of this cooperation, Maputo National Park has continued to grow since 2010, benefiting from various reintroduction and translocation programmes for various species.
It is home to the emblematic giraffes and elephants, which usually stroll along National Road 1 (N1), but Maputo National Park combines "sea and land", covering a total area of 1,718 square kilometres.
It was officially established on 7 December 2021, combining two contiguous protected areas: the Maputo Special Reserve (1,040 square kilometres of land) and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (678 square kilometres).
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