Tomb of the Askia, Gao, Mali

On hearing the rumors, the jihadists had the intention of demolishing or breaking that emblem. We were coming here when we tried to interfere. It was spontaneous. There were women, there were old-timers, there were all kinds of people. The information has been given. We also gather information to say everything except that it touches our cultural heritage. So the belligerents who were there, the armed men who were there, they understood that they were forced to retreat. Zazkia's tomb, although not touched by the terrorists, was nevertheless threatened by the threat that affected its state of conservation. The armed groups had banned the crepissage of Zazkia's tomb. This has considerably degraded the structures and even caused cracks. The earth is a perishable material. Every time it rains, the earth breaks off. The people attach great importance to the safeguarding of this tomb. The restorations of fortune are always carried out by the communities themselves. But today, we have a financial partner, Alif, who has agreed to support us. Le Mali, that's one of the reasons for Alif's existence. If Alif was created in March 2017, it was because terrorism had taken hold, the cultural heritage of Mali had been particularly damaged. These projects are made for and with the communities. It is an essential dimension since one of the objectives is to contribute to living together, to peace. And so necessarily, everyone must participate in the project. I declare the project of rehabilitation of the tomb of Zazkia launched. The implementation of this project will consolidate the pillars, lighten the burden on the bank, to renew all the frames and to strengthen the entire structure of the building, to deepen the knowledge of the history and values of the tomb of Zazkia The Commission will also be responsible for the development of the European tourism industry. It is a multi-partnership project which brings together the administrative authorities, the territorial authorities, the The project is being implemented by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. From today, our role is to bring the experience that Crater has had of this kind of intervention for forty years. to ensure that the rehabilitation project of Zazkia's tomb will be carried out within the standards to ensure that its integrity and the values which have made it a World Heritage Site are not undermined.