Decision 41 COM 7B.22

Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia, Zimbabwe) (N 509)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 38 COM 7B.96, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
3. Appreciates the submission of the Joint Integrated Management Plan (JIMP) for the period 2016 to 2021, and efforts to develop a sustainable tourism strategy for the property, and requests the States Parties to finalize this strategy as soon as possible in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
4. Also appreciates the decision taken by the State Party of Zambia to further reduce water abstraction from the Zambezi River, but also requests the States Parties of Zambia and Zimbabwe to ensure that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Batoka Gorge Hydroelectric Scheme includes a specific assessment of the impacts of the dam and all of its associated infrastructures, on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
5. Noting with significant concern that construction of a Ferris wheel is proposed within a high ecologically sensitive zone of the Eastern Cataract inside the property, which would be incompatible with the permitted infrastructural development as prescribed in the JIMP, and which will likely have a significant detrimental impact on the OUV of the property, urges the States Parties to not permit the project;
6. Also noting with concern the State Party of Zambia’s intention to partner with private investors to construct a hotel and recreational facilities inside the property, further requests the States Parties to clarify the exact locations of all developments and the plans to utilize Cataract Island for tourism, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, an ESIA for each of these projects, including a specific assessment of the impacts on OUV, in line with IUCN’s Advice Note, before taking any decision that may be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Notes that the development of the sustainable financing/business plan is in progress and reiterates its request to the States Parties to expedite its completion, taking into consideration mechanisms for financing management operations;
8. Acknowledging that the States Parties recorded a drop in Zambezi River water flow over the last two years and, noting that the States Parties will be assessing the cause of the decline by analysing water flow data, rainfall data and upstream activities, requests furthermore the States Parties to utilize the findings to inform the management of the property, also taking into consideration the added impact expected from climate change;
9. Welcomes the continued efforts by the States Parties to control the highly invasive alien weed, Lantana camara, which has been cleared from 70% of the property, and requests moreover the States Parties to continue their efforts to control this species, and to provide an update on the status of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) inside the property;
10. Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, a joint 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 43rd session in 2019.