This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Kenya was on the verge of becoming the third African country to host a Unesco Global Geopark, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put the plans on hold.
According to Dr. Jaro Arero, Director for Natural Sciences at the Kenya National Commission for Unesco, everything has been on a standstill since Kenya reported its first case and lockdown restrictions were put in place.
“We had planned to submit the nomination dossier by October this year so as to allow for evaluators to travel to Kenya,” Dr. Arero said.
The submission of the nomination dossier by October would have placed Kenya on the edge of having Unesco inscribe its pioneer Global Geopark in Kenya by 2021, joining Tanzania and Morocco in the continent with designated sites.
Baringo County was set to join 140 Unesco global geoparks across the world once inscribed.
Unesco Global geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed and protected for educational purposes and sustainable development.
Within the umbrella geopark, are several geological paradises called geo-sites, including lakes, caves, waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes, and other geological features.
“The group of geo-sites that make a GeoPark are exceptional sites with exceptional geological features that cannot be found anywhere else in the world,” Dr. Arero added.
The designation of a geopark in Baringo means the region gets the global limelight and will reap from tourism.
“The pioneer Global geopark means the injection of fresh ideas into Kenya’s tourism diversification. It will also elevate the geo-sites to global limelight while improving livelihoods and opportunities for local communities who can tap into opportunities,” Baringo County Chief warden William Kimosop said.
