The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7A.Add.2,
- Recalling Decision 39 COM 7A.13, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
- Warmly welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State Party in the implementation of the corrective measures, but considers that further efforts should be made to implement all the corrective measures updated at its 39th session;
- Also warmly welcomes the efforts undertaken with the realization of the environmental and social impact study (ESIS) of the gold prospection project at Mako, and takes note of the mitigation measures proposed for the identified negative impacts of the project;
- Notes with concern that the ESIS of the Mako project indicates that indirect impacts of moderate importance are expected, which may exacerbate existing issues such as poaching, illegal gold prospection and the fragmentation of habitat, and that the loss of the chimpanzee habitat outside the property will be permanent, for which no mitigation measures have yet been identified;
- Requests the State Party to provide information on the current status of the Mako gold prospection project;
- Also considers that the loss of chimpanzee habitat in the areas adjacent to the boundaries of the property represents a direct impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, particularly with regard to conditions of integrity and would therefore risk further degradation of the recovering but fragile OUV;
- Noting the conclusions of the ESIS regarding the impacts of the Mako gold prospection project on the OUV of the property, in particular the permanent loss of chimpanzee habitat in areas near the boundaries of the property, also requests the State Party not to grant approval to the project in its current conception, in conformity with its Decision 39 COM 7A.13, which requests the prohibition of any extractive activity outside of the property insofar as such an activity could have a negative impact on the OUV of the property, including its conditions of integrity;
- Strongly urges the State Party to ensure that the ESIS is revised to take into account the above concerns, in order to identify an alternative design and location for the Mako project that will not have an impact on the OUV of the property;
- Also urges the State Party to ensure the permanent closure of the Mansadala basalt quarry by 2018, in accordance with the request of the Committee in its Decision 39 COM 7A.13;
- Expresses its deep concern as regards the potential impacts of the Sambangalou dam project on the OUV of the property, in particular the reduction of the areas of forest galleries and Ronier Palm stands in the property, river fording by large wildlife and insufficient water supply to the flood basins and ponds in the property, especially with regard to the continuing drying up of the ponds, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit a specific study of the impacts of the Sambangalou dam project on the OUV of the property, in accordance with the “IUCN Advisory Note on World Heritage: an environmental assessment” prior to any decision on its construction, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
- Further requests the State Party to urgently update and implement the management plan for the property, integrating the updated and detailed ecological monitoring programme, to enable monitoring of the indicators for the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and requests furthermore the State Party to provide an electronic version and three printed copies of the revised management plan to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
- Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
- Decides to retain Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.