Decision 41 COM 7B.39

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (United Republic of Tanzania) (C/N 39bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7B.34, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Commends the State Party for achieving zero recorded elephant poaching within the property during the reporting period through the establishment of two new ranger posts in targeted poaching-prone areas, and encourages it to take an adaptive approach to anti-poaching and continue to monitor the rate of elephant population recovery;
4. Appreciates the inclusion of Parthenium hysterophorus in the Invasive Alien Plants Strategic Management Plan that has been implemented since 2011, and the progress reported to bring it under control inside the property;
5. Welcomes the State Party’s reiteration that all development projects are subject to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) in accordance with the guidelines of IUCN and ICOMOS, and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Also welcomes the continuation of dialogue with the local communities, the progress made to update the General Management Plan (GMP) for the property, and the State Party’s intention to submit this plan to the World Heritage Centre for review;
7. Takes note of the strategy and the ongoing efforts in the construction of the southern Serengeti-Ngorongoro by-pass road to cater for public and commercial transportation;
8. Commends the efforts being undertaken by the State Party to currently regulate the passage of heavy commercial vehicles on the Loduare gate to Golini road and further welcomes the steps accomplished so far towards hardening of this road for improvement of visitor experience and conservation purposes in line with Decision 36 COM 7B.35;
9. Acknowledges the submission of comprehensive ESIA/HIA report in this regard, which includes assessments of downstream impacts of opening new borrow pits and restoring wetlands, and of all known cultural/archaeological sites, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Requests the State Party to invite a World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property in August 2017, in order to provide advice to the State Party on the conservation of the additional set of footprints discovered at the Laetoli site in 2014, proposed Laetoli Hominid Footprints Museum, and monitor progress on the road upgrade project and proposed tourist developments as well as review progress in balancing conservation, livelihood and development needs;
11. Also acknowledges the completion of the HIA for the proposed Laetoli Hominid Footprints Museum and associated facilities and also requests the State Party to ensure that further development of this project is postponed in order to take into account the outcomes of the Reactive Monitoring mission;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, 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 43rd session in 2019.