The Louvre Museum is to offer a haven for world treasures rescued from war zones such as Syria and Iraq at a secure storage facility in northern France, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.

The French president, François Hollande, said the new conservation facility in Liévin could become a temporary repository for international cultural and artistic treasures.

Speaking as he unveiled a plaque for the €60m (£55m) building, which is scheduled to open in 2019, Hollande said he would propose the idea at a conference on endangered heritage in Abu Dhabi in December, which is expected to be attended by representatives from about 40 countries.

He said the conservation facility would be unique in Europe. “The principle role of the Liévin site will be to house the Louvre Museum’s stored collection … but it could have another role, sadly linked to the events, dramas, tragedies that we see in the world.”