Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0The eleven African States
This page presents the African Member States of OIMAP: eleven countries, from the Maghreb to southern Africa, ranked by year of accession.
Each State has one vote in the General Assembly, regardless of its contribution.
For the overall picture, see the list of the 67 States or return to the Africa section.
Member countries in Africa in figures
Source: Member States Relations Directorate.
The founding States
Kenya, Senegal, Morocco and Egypt have been members since 2007. They signed the founding act alongside nineteen other States.
Their experience benefits the others: their focal points have taken part in working groups and plenary meetings since the Organization was created.
The 2021 accessions
Tunisia, South Africa and Ghana joined in 2021, after a long interruption. These three States followed the full procedure and a twelve-month probationary period (indicative).
They quickly designated their focal point and requested assistance for the national registration of works.
The 2022 and 2023 accessions
Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria joined the Organization in 2022. Ethiopia and Cameroon followed in 2023.
These four States have adopted the OIMAP Guidelines 2019 and take part in the region's training programmes.
A diversity of situations
The eleven States have very different profiles: some have structured markets, while others are mainly concerned with protecting sites and collections.
The Organization therefore tailors its offer: legal assistance for some, staff training for others.
List by year of accession
| State | Year of accession | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | 2007 | Founder |
| Senegal | 2007 | Founder |
| Morocco | 2007 | Founder |
| Egypt | 2007 | Founder |
| Tunisia | 2021 | Member |
| South Africa | 2021 | Member |
| Ghana | 2021 | Member |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2022 | Member |
| Nigeria | 2022 | Member |
| Ethiopia | 2023 | Member |
| Cameroon | 2023 | Member |
Milestones
- Kenya, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt
Founding States.
- Tunisia, South Africa, Ghana
Three accessions.
- Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria
Two accessions.
- Ethiopia, Cameroon
Latest accessions.
One vote per State
Founders and new members
Founders
Four States- Members since 2007
- Role in the working groups
- Support for new members
A reference role.
Accessions from 2021 to 2023
Seven States- Setting up the mechanisms
- Technical Assistance
- Gradual integration
A need for support.
Finding a State's information
- Locate
The State in the list.
- Note
Its year of accession.
- Open
Its country profile.
- Consult
The directory of focal points.
- Write
At the Nairobi office if needed.
Before contacting a State
A heritage officer
« We joined the Organization so as not to face trafficking alone. The network of focal points changes the speed of responses. »
Glossary of accessions
- Founding State
- Signatory of the 2007 act.
- Vote
- Voting right in the General Assembly.
- Probationary period
- Twelve months (indicative).
- Country profile
- Summary on a State.
Contacting a Member State
Each State has a focal point, titled "Heritage Directorate — country". The full directory is available in the members' area.
If no contact details are available, write to the Nairobi office, which will direct your request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which African countries are members?
The eleven States in the table.
Who are the founders?
Kenya, Senegal, Morocco and Egypt.
When did the most recent members join?
In 2023, with Ethiopia and Cameroon.
Where can all the members be seen?
Useful Documents
Contacts
Related pages
AfricaEleven African Member States, a regional office in Nairobi and programmes focused on heritage protection and training.›
In alphabetical orderQuickly find a Member State with the alphabetical list of the 67 countries, with region and year of accession.›
Country profile contactsThe practical part of the country profiles: heritage department, national focal point, languages of correspondence and opening hours.›
Focal points directoryContact details of the sixty-seven focal points, available to logged-in members, with their organisation and rules of use.›
View the directory of focal points
Image credits (17)
- Mask (ndeemba) (early 1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- River Landscape with Boats, Annibale Carracci (c. 1590) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Mask (early 1900s, before 1933–37) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- India. Benares. Aurangzeb's Mosque, after a photo by Dr. Kurt Boeck, Photoglob Co. (c. 1890–1910) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Headdress (early 1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Abalone Divers off the Coast of Ise, from an Untitled Landscape Series, Utagawa Kunisada (early 1830s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Figure (iginga) (probably 1800s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Pastoral Landscape with Ruins and a Ford, Gerhardt Janssen (1722) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Face Mask (early 1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Alpine Landscape: The Handegg, Switzerland, Jean-Léon Gérôme (1850s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Palm Wine Vessel (kuh mendu) (1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh, Felice A. Beato (1858) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Bird Standard (early to mid-1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- View of Venice, Jacopo de' Barbari (1500) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Doge's Palace, Venice, Richard Parkes Bonington (1826) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portrait of a Woman, Gerard ter Borch (c. 1665) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Temple at Naveshera, Kashmir, India, Samuel Bourne (1864) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0