Decision 44 COM 7B.189

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Viet Nam) (N 951bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.12, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, including a new Directive by the Quang Bing Provincial People’s Committee, which requires all provincial authorities to strengthen conservation and promotion of World Heritage values, the elaboration of a sustainable forest management plan (2021-2030), a Biodiversity Conservation Plan (vision 2040) and a plan for conservation and promotion of heritage values;
4. Appreciates the undertaking of a pilot project for the eradication of the invasive plant Merremia boisiana, and requests the State Party to develop a clear strategy and action plan that is sufficiently resourced to address the threat posed by the 14 previously reported invasive species identified within the property, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, the strategy and action plan along with the findings of the M. boisiana pilot project and future plans to cope with its further spread;
5. Takes note of the State Party’s proposal to assess the tourism capacity within the property’s caves, and reiterates its requests to the State Party to take the necessary measures to avoid a further increase in the number of visitors to the caves located within the property and not to approve nor implement any future infrastructure project in or near the caves that could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
6. Also welcomes the confirmation provided by the State Party that cable car projects are no longer under consideration, and reminds the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, detailed information for any large-scale tourism and/or development project that may have the potential to impact on the OUV of the property, including any Environmental Impact Assessment, before works commence or any irreversible decision is made, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Also reiterates once more its request to the State Party to revise and update the 2010-2020 Sustainable Tourism Development Plan and its integration with other key management tools, as suggested by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, to enhance governance based on the overarching principles of sustaining and preserving the OUV of the property by paying careful attention to the balance between tourism development and biodiversity conservation, as well as increased benefit sharing among stakeholders;
8. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to establish an effective mechanism to engage a wider range of stakeholders in the management and valorisation of the property;
9. Acknowledges the State Party’s continued efforts to address poaching and other illegal activities in the property, but considering that a significant reduction in wildlife populations was previously reported, also requests the State Party to further intensify law enforcement, patrolling and monitoring efforts, with a particuar focus on the perimeter and high-risk areas within the property, and to take proactive anti-poaching measures to urgently reverse this concerning trend;
10. Reiterates furthermore its request that the State Party fully implement the recommendations of the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, in particular by integrating and harmonizing the various management and conservation plans and tools under a concerted vision of governance, and by clarifying the functional zoning of the property;
11. Further welcomes the continued cooperation with the State Party of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the preservation of biodiversity notably in the transboundary protected area, and for the future nomination of Hin Nam No national protected area jointly with the property in Viet Nam;
12. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.