Omanghana
Ghana and the Republic of Korea have announced a $4.5 million heritage conservation partnership aimed at protecting Ghana’s historic coastal forts and castles from the growing effects of climate change.
The five-year Korea–Ghana Heritage Project on Climate Change Impact on Forts and Castles of Ghana World Heritage Property will run from 2026 to 2030.
It is being implemented through cooperation involving the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, the Ghana Commission for UNESCO and Ghanaian institutions responsible for tourism, culture, environmental management and heritage conservation.
The initiative is themed “Empowering Climate Action, Strengthening Ghana’s Integrated Capacity for Climate Change Response in Heritage Conservation.”
Its formal launch is scheduled for August 26, 2026, at the forecourt of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts in Accra.
Six Heritage Sites Selected for Initial Phase
The first phase will focus on six coastal heritage sites in the Greater Accra Region:
- Ussher Fort in Jamestown
- James Fort in Jamestown
- Christiansborg Castle in Osu
- Fort Augustaborg in Teshie
- Fort Vernon in Prampram
- Fort Fredensborg in Old Ningo
The selected monuments form part of Ghana’s wider collection of forts and castles associated with centuries of trade, colonial expansion and the transatlantic slave trade.
Ghana’s forts and castles were collectively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 because of their historical significance and connection to the African diaspora. They are held in the custody of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Climate Change Threatens Coastal Monuments
Many of the sites are located close to the sea, exposing them to coastal erosion, tidal surges, flooding and increasingly severe weather.
Salt carried by seawater and coastal air can penetrate stone, brick, mortar and metal components. Over time, repeated salt crystallization can weaken building materials, accelerate corrosion and contribute to cracks or structural failure.
Rising sea levels and powerful wave action may also erode foundations, damage surrounding land and make some sites more difficult or dangerous to access.
Heavy rainfall presents another risk, particularly where drainage systems are inadequate or sections of a monument have already deteriorated.
Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie said the project would address coastal erosion, flooding, salt-induced deterioration, structural instability and extreme weather affecting the monuments.
Scientific Monitoring and Climate-Risk Mapping
A major component of the program will be the creation of a scientific system for assessing and monitoring climate threats at the selected sites.
The project will use integrated data systems and geospatial mapping to identify the hazards facing each monument. These could include patterns of shoreline retreat, flood exposure, rainfall damage, moisture intrusion and structural movement.
Digital monitoring should allow conservation officials to document changes over time and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
Instead of waiting for visible damage to become severe, managers will be able to use the collected information to plan preventive maintenance and priorities limited conservation resources.
The data could also support emergency planning by identifying structures or surrounding communities most vulnerable to flooding, erosion or extreme weather.
Climate-Responsive Conservation Policies
The partnership will support the development of national and site-specific policies for protecting cultural heritage under changing environmental conditions.
Each monument faces different risks because of its location, construction materials, physical condition and relationship with surrounding settlements. The project will therefore seek to develop responses suited to individual sites while establishing a broader national framework.
The initiative is aligned with UNESCO’s 2023 policy on climate action for World Heritage and recommendations of the World Heritage Committee.
It also supports Sustainable Development Goal 11, which promotes inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities, and Goal 13 on urgent action against climate change.
The policies developed under the program are expected to strengthen coordination among government agencies responsible for heritage, tourism, environmental protection, coastal management and local development.
Ghanaian Experts Receive Training in South Korea
Capacity building forms an important part of the five-year partnership.
Six Ghanaian experts drawn from relevant stakeholder institutions have already completed two weeks of intensive training in South Korea. The program focused on climate-change response policies for forts and castles.
Participants were exposed to Korean approaches to heritage conservation, risk assessment, policy development and the use of technology in site management.
A second group comprising six heritage-site managers is expected to travel to South Korea for two months of advanced training between October and November 2026.
Additional workshops, technical exchanges and skills-development programs are planned throughout the project period.
The training is intended to build a pool of Ghanaian specialists capable of applying climate science to heritage management and transferring that knowledge to colleagues and local partners.
Coastal Communities to Play Active Role
The project will involve residents, traditional authorities and other local stakeholders living around the selected monuments.
Community participation is considered essential because local people are often the first to observe shoreline changes, flooding, cracks and other forms of deterioration.
Residents can contribute local knowledge about changing weather patterns, historical land conditions and previous attempts to protect the sites.
The program is therefore expected to establish mechanisms through which communities can report risks, support monitoring and participate in preservation activities.
Traditional leaders, local assemblies, academic institutions, technical agencies and civil society organizations will also be engaged as part of the multi-stakeholder approach.
Organizers hope this involvement will create a stronger sense of local responsibility for the monuments while ensuring that conservation plans reflect the needs of neighboring communities.
Protecting Heritage and Tourism
Beyond their historical importance, Ghana’s forts and castles attract visitors from across the world, particularly members of the African diaspora seeking to understand the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
Damage to these sites could therefore affect tourism, education, academic research and local economic activity.
Their protection requires more than occasional restoration. Conservation officials must account for the long-term effects of climate change and ensure that repairs use materials and methods appropriate to the original structures.
The Korea–Ghana partnership is expected to strengthen Ghana’s technical ability to make those decisions using scientific evidence.
It will also enhance the country’s participation in regional and international discussions about the impact of climate change on cultural heritage.
By combining financial support, research, technology, professional training and community participation, the five-year initiative seeks to create a more sustainable system for safeguarding Ghana’s coastal monuments for future generations.
Source: Omanghana
