• Both countries advance joint governance after UNESCO expanded the site
• A shared management mechanism and a 2026 conservation report are required
• The latest session prepared updates, future activities, and a unified plan

Togo and Benin are working together on the coordinated management of the transnational cultural site of Koutammakou. The two countries recently held in Défalé the second session of the transnational body responsible for monitoring the site.

The meeting follows UNESCO’s decision to expand the boundaries of Koutammakou to include its Beninese section, now listed as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO recommends that both countries establish a joint management mechanism supervised by the cultural heritage directorates of Togo and Benin, and define its responsibilities.

UNESCO also requires the two states to submit, by December 1, 2026, a joint report on the conservation status of the site and on progress made in implementing the recommendations issued.

After an initial joint session in August 2023 in Boukoumbé, Benin, this second meeting allowed for discussions on preparing the updated report, planning activities for phase 2 of the “Improvement of the Conservation Status of Koutammakou” project scheduled for 2026, and outlining elements to be included in the future unified management plan. Participants also addressed issues related to the conservation, promotion, and enhancement of Koutammakou.

In Togo, the site is guided by a management plan for 2025–2027. This document is based on recommendations from the World Heritage Center, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), following an evaluation mission conducted in June 2024. One priority identified is greater involvement of local communities in preservation efforts.

Esaïe Edoh