The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),
3. Notes with concern the limited progress in the implementation of the corrective measures adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 31st (Christchurch, 2007) and 32nd (Quebec City, 2008) sessions, as a result of the continued insecurity in the Côte d'Ivoire part of the property, preventing regular access by the management authority and the continued weak management capacity of the management authority in Guinea, as a result of lack of funding and trained staff;
4. Requests the State Party of Côte d'Ivoire to ensure the restoration of security in the property as to allow permanent access of the management authority to the property;
5. Urges both States Parties to further increase their efforts to continue implementing the corrective measures, and the other recommendations of the World Heritage Committee;
6. Welcomes the responsible position of Tata Steel in agreeing not to carry out mining that would damage the Outstanding Universal Value of the property in Côte d'Ivoire, in line with the World Heritage Committee's request to all holders of any mining concession to respect international standards with respect to mining in World Heritage properties, as outlined in the International Council on Mining and Metals Position Statement on Mining and Protected Areas (2003) and not to mine within World Heritage properties, and requests the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee to write to the Chief Executive Officer of Tata Steel to convey the Committee's appreciation for this action;
7. Reiterates its request to the State Party of Côte d'Ivoire to confirm urgently that all mining concessions within the property have been revoked;
8. Also welcomes the consultation initiated by the State Party of Guinea and the mining company SMFG on the Terms of Reference of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the mining project and also reiterates its request to ensure that the EIA is conducted in accordance with the highest international standards and quantifies the potential impact of the planned exploitation on the property, in close consultation with all stake holders, and to submit to the World Heritage Committee any intermediary results;
9. Also requests the States Parties of Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea to seek international assistance from the World Heritage Fund to organize a new tripartite meeting with Liberia to enhance the required coordination to implement the recommendations from the 2007 and 2008 monitoring missions;
10. Further requests both States Parties, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to further develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, as well as a proposal for the desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
11. Requests furthermore both States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2010, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property and on progress in the implementation of the corrective measures and other recommendations of the 2007 and 2008 missions, and the elimination of mining threats to the property, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;
12. Decides to retain Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.