Decision 43 COM 7A.13

Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) (N 1257)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.53, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Welcomes progress achieved by the State Party towards the implementation of the corrective measures, in particular the strengthened surveillance, ecological monitoring and rehabilitation of degraded areas;
4. Notes the reported decrease in the 2018 deforestation rate for the whole property but reiterates its request to the State Party to provide further information on deforestation rates for each component of the property since 2009, including an analysis of satellite imagery, and to report on the results of ecological monitoring and remaining sites to be rehabilitated;
5. Regrets that the State Party did not provide information on the implementation status of the five-year Action Plan on illegal mining, which was previously considered to be an increasingly severe threat to the property, in particular Ranomafana National Park, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to provide an update on the implementation status of the Action Plan as well as an assessment of the damage from mining activities to the property, and to undertake the required restoration activities;
6. Urges the State Party to continue implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Action Plan and Biodiversity Management Plan, and strongly encourages it to implement all the CITES decisions in relation to ebony, palisander and rosewood;
7. Notes with concern the significant increase in the reported number of lemur traps and cases of illegal logging demonstrating that poaching and illegal logging remain persistent threats to the property, and requests the State Party to strengthen control and law enforcement measures against these illegal activities;
8. Also requests the State Party to update the timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures by developing a costed and time-bound Action Plan as part of the new Integrated Management Plan, and to submit the draft Management Plans for each components of the property and the Integrated Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre, for review prior to approval;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, 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 44th session in 2020;
10. Decides to retain Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.