Civil society pushes to protect Lake Victoria through UNESCO listing

What the report says

The Observer reports that 116 civil society organisations from 35 countries are urging Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to begin a transparent, community-led review of Lake Victoria’s potential suitability for UNESCO World Heritage recognition. The appeal, coordinated by Action for Climate and Environmental Justice and the Environment Governance Institute, was made as the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meets in Busan, South Korea, this month.

Rather than pushing for immediate inscription, the coalition wants the three governments, UNESCO and the East African Community to first examine the lake as a “living cultural landscape.” The groups say any assessment should cover not only the lake itself but also connected wetlands, tributaries, islands, cultural sites and fishing communities before deciding whether a future nomination should be cultural, natural or mixed. They argue that local and Indigenous communities should be central to the process, including through free, prior and informed consent.

Lake Victoria, shared by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, is Africa’s largest lake by surface area and the world’s largest tropical lake. Its basin also reaches Rwanda and Burundi, and it supports fishing livelihoods, regional ecosystems and the Nile River system. The Observer notes that civil society groups view the lake as both an economic resource and a place of cultural, spiritual and ecological significance for lakeside communities.

The coalition also raised concerns about oil and infrastructure projects in the wider basin, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, saying effects in linked wetlands, rivers and catchments could affect water quality, fisheries and heritage. It recommends a joint taskforce with strong community representation, expanded research, stronger lake governance and a precautionary approach to major developments.