Djibouti Declares Abourma Rock Art Site a National Monument

By Asha Elmi - Reporter

Djibouti, 14 January 2026 - The government of Djibouti has officially designated the Abourma rock art site in the Tadjourah region a national monument, a key step in its bid to secure the country’s first-ever entry on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The decision was ratified during the first Council of Ministers session of 2026 on Tuesday, presided over by President Ismail Omar Guelleh. The new decree provides formal state protection to the site, which experts describe as one of the most significant archaeological treasures in the Horn of Africa.

Located in the Makarassou Massif, the Abourma site contains more than 900 well-preserved rock engravings. These Neolithic artworks depict a diverse range of wildlife, including giraffes, ostriches, and antelopes, suggesting that the now-arid Tadjourah region was once a lush, green landscape.

The Council also approved the establishment of a National Commission for Heritage and Culture. This body will serve as a technical advisor to the Ministry of Youth and Culture, tasked with identifying, registering, and protecting both tangible and intangible cultural assets.

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The commission will operate under the framework of the National Heritage Law (No. 208), which was passed in late 2025. Government officials stated that these legislative reforms are designed to fulfill UNESCO’s rigorous requirements for world heritage status.

Parallel to the archaeological initiatives, the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced that the Station Museum (Musée de la Gare) in the capital is nearing completion.

Housed in the historic former station of the Djibouti-Ethiopia railway at Plateau du Serpent, the museum is dedicated to the history of transportation and urban development in the country.

Djibouti, which ratified the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 2007, currently has 10 sites on its "tentative list." The Abourma rock engravings are widely expected to be the first to undergo the formal nomination process.

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