DAKAR, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Senegal's Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Abdourahmane Diouf, on Monday praised progress in the management of Niokolo-Koba National Park and reaffirmed the government's commitment to further protecting and sustainably promoting the country's largest protected area.
Diouf made the remarks during a visit to the park, which stretches across the Tambacounda and Kedougou regions, as part of efforts to monitor environmental preservation and ecosystem restoration, according to an official statement.
The visit came after the park was removed in 2024 from UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger, reflecting sustained efforts by Senegal and its partners to combat poaching, restore habitats, and strengthen environmental governance.
Described as a key biodiversity reserve, Niokolo-Koba National Park is home to more than 70 species of mammals and 329 species of birds. It also plays an important role in climate regulation, carbon sequestration, and water resource protection, notably through the Gambia River, the statement said.
Diouf said the park also serves as a driver of local economic development through ecotourism and income-generating activities such as beekeeping, market gardening and handicrafts, stressing the need to consolidate achievements through inclusive management involving local communities.
Created in 1954 and covering nearly 913,000 hectares (9,130 square kilometers), Niokolo-Koba National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 and is also designated a biosphere reserve under the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program. ■