Angkor, World Heritage Site

ANGKOR, WORLD HERITAGE SITE -  Promoting Historical Heritage and Economic Development

Country: Cambodia

Project initiated in: 1993

Presented by: UNESCO

Partners: French and Japanese cooperation, Ministry of Culture in Cambodia, various other international partners

Project budget: Investments in excess of EUR 35 million since 1993, from various sources.Annual operating budget of EUR 108 000 

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// Context

Angkor is the former capital of the Khmer Empire. Its ruins, which date from the 9th to the 15th century, are located in the forests to the North West of Cambodia. The site, which spans over 400 km², has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. It is home to a population of almost 100 000 people throughout 112 villages and hamlets, who live primarily from agriculture.

The conservation and development programme for the site is supported by the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (CIC), which held its first Intergovernmental Conference in Tokyo in 1993. This made provision for conservation and safeguarding activities for monuments and other cultural heritage items to be approved and supervised by the CIC and reserves a strengthened role for the Cambodian party.

The CIC was established with a view to ensure an international coordination mechanism for aid in safeguarding and developing the site of Angkor by different countries and organisations.

The CIC focuses its efforts not only on conservation but also in a perspective of sustainable development which fits into the supervisory framework of the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development.

// Project objectives

The project promotes international cooperation for the recognition, safeguarding and sustainable development of the eco-historic site of Angkor, in the framework of a cohesive, all-encompassing, integrated and multi-disciplinary approach, with a view to ensuring the long-term conservation and management of the site. The objective is one of promoting the site, as:

• a monument, whilst respecting its historic and architectural heritage;
• a natural site, whilst respecting and safeguarding its natural environment;
• a tourist site, with a view to developing ethical and sustainable tourism, which can become a tool for combating poverty in the Siem Reap area;
• and an economic area, which can bolster the development potential of the region.

// Action and impact

More than one hundred restoration and safeguarding projects have been carried out on the site of Angkor. An integrated management framework enables management of the site of which the enormous success inevitable generates problems of sustainability. Conservation of the site is ensured over the long term.

The number of tourists to Cambodia has risen from 400 000 in 2000, to over 2.16 million in 2009, 60% of these tourists having named the site of Angkor as the purpose of their visit.

Tourism, having generated 300 000 jobs, representing 12.5% of GDP of the country and having undergone average growth of 25% since 2000, is the primary driver for growth and combating poverty in Cambodia. On the basis of statistics gathered, it can be estimated that at least 50% of this economic impact is attributable to the site of Angkor.

The CIC contributes actively to training local experts who, for 17 years, have gained authority in areas such as archaeology, restoration, etc. More recently, such training has additionally been extended to include sustainable development, by aiming to improve the living conditions of the local community through its involvement in managing the site, and encouraging better allocation of revenues.

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