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Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
  • Financial resources
  • Ground transport infrastructure
  • Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
  • Illegal activities
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Mining
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Lack of Management Plan;
  • Lack of funding;
  • Poaching;
  • New railway;
  • Mining;
  • Proposed reduction of the protected area;
  • Refugees from Liberia
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Requests approved: 13 (from 1981-1995)
Total amount approved : 325,382 USD
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1995

The site was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 because of a proposed iron-ore mining project and threats due to the arrival of a large number of refugees from neighbouring countries. An expert mission was undertaken in 1993 and proposals to revise the boundaries of the site were endorsed by the seventeenth session of the Committee in 1993. An international assistance project under the World Heritage Fund was carried out in 1994 and a report was presented to the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The French Ministry of the Environment, in cooperation with IUCN-France, is carrying out a study and review of the site with regard to potential future investment. A report on this project is expected in time for the Bureau session. The Centre also met with the UNDP Resident Representative from Conakry to discuss the situation at the site and future cooperation. A UNESCO-UNDP coordination meeting was held on 29 and 30 March 1995. Furthermore, IUCN and the Centre received a letter from the President of the Italian Botanical Society raising concerns about the massive clearance, lumbering and logging at the Côte d'Ivoire part of the site. The Centre contacted the authorities concerned to obtain an official statement.

Action Required

Considering the information received on the state of conservation of this site, the Bureau concludes that the site remains under serious threat and recommends the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995

The Bureau recalled at its nineteenth session that the site was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 because of negative impacts from a proposed iron-ore mining project and threats due to the arrival of a large number of refugees from neighbouring countries. An expert mission was undertaken in 1993 and proposals to revise the boundaries of the site were endorsed by the seventeenth session of the Committee in 1993. An international assistance project under the World Heritage Fund was recently carried out in 1994, and a report was presented to the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The French Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry for Cooperation, in cooperation with IUCN-France, have carried out a study and review of the site for the Government of Guinea with regard to priority needs and potential future investment.

The results of a 1994 mission to the site by the French IUCN Committee were presented to the Bureau, stating the lack of commitment by the Government of Guinea, and the fact that the site, for which responsibility is shared by four ministries, is legally not sufficiently protected or classified as a protected area on the national level.

The Bureau recalled that the boundaries were revised by the national authorities, and adopted by the seventeenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The Bureau requested the Centre, jointly with IUCN, to follow-up on the results of the mission, including a letter to the Guinean authorities to ask for clarifications on the legal protection and classification of the site. In their letter of 15 September 1995 the Ministry for Energy and Environment indicates that the Government had taken several measures to develop and protect the site. This included the creation of a Management Centre "Centre de Gestion de l'Environnement des Monts Nimba (CEGEN)" responsible for all environmental and legal questions, as well as the international classification of the site, the monitoring of the water quality in the region, integrated rural development and socio-economic studies; CEGEN and the ITC (Institut de Topographic et de Cartographic de Guinee) are cooperating on thematic maps and the preparation of a Mount Nimba Foundation to obtain bi/multilateral financial resources.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995

The Bureau may wish to commend the States Party for their efforts. However, given the uncertainties concerning the adequate managment of the site, and the shortcomings with regard to the on-site management, the Bureau may also wish to recommend to the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 BUR IX.1
Requests for International Assistance

IX.1 The Bureau examined documents WHC-95/CONF.201/7 and WHC-95/CONF.201/7Add and noted that, in accordance with the decisions at the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee, one third of the funds should be for natural heritage.Therefore, only requests for technical cooperation for natural heritage were brought forward to the Bureau. The Bureau, taking note of the amount of the remaining funds for international assistance, took the following decisions:

 

Requests approved:

 

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Guinea/Côte d'Ivoire)

Technical assistance for this site inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger for refurbishing, maintenance of the Headquarters buildings and for the reinforcement of the administrative structure-for an amount of US$ 18,000 was approved.

 

Rwenzori Mountains National Park (Uganda)

The technical assistance request for radio equipment, ranger field equipment and rescue gear for Rwenzori Mountains National Park for an amount of US$ 20,000 was approved.

 

Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Zaire)

The technical cooperation request for a 4-WD Toyota Land Cruiser Station Wagon for better surveillance and control of the National Park was approved (an amount of US$ 30,000), subject to the payment of outstanding dues to the World Heritage Fund.

19 BUR VI.20
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Guinea/Côte d’Ivoire)

The Bureau recalled that the site was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 because of a proposed iron-ore mining project and threats due to the arrival of a large number of refugees from neighboring countries. An expert mission was undertaken in 1993 and proposals to revise the boundaries of the site were endorsed by the seventeenth session of the Committee in 1993. An international assistance project under the World Heritage Fund was recently carried out in 1994, and a report was presented to the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The French Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry for Cooperation, in cooperation with IUCN-France, has carried out a study and review of the site for the Government of Guinea with regard to priority needs and potential future investment.

Two experts from the French IUCN Committee presented a report on a mission to the site which took place end-1994. The mission stated the international donor community has not given support and there are also problems with regard to the absence of commitment by the Government of Guinea, including the fact that the site is legally not sufficiently protected or classified as a protected area on the national level, with responsibilities shared by four ministries. The expert also spoke of negativeimpacts of the potential mining project adjacent to the site. The mission, furthermore, reported on scientific issues, including the lack of topographic thematic mapping and monitoring of water quality. The mission recommended enhanced conservation management including resource inventories with international cooperation and bilateral development agencies. Road projects should be reviewed and rural development projects outside the site extended. The enhancement of educational and development projects with the local population are considered as a cornerstone for the future protection of the site.

The Bureau recalled that the boundaries were revised and adopted by the seventeenth session of the World Heritage Committee and requested the Centre, jointly with IUCN, ‘to follow-up on the results of the mission, including a letter to the Guinean authorities to ask for clarifications on the legal protection and classification of the site. It recommended to the World Heritage Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

19 COM VII.A.1.6/7
SOC: Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Guinea/Cote d'Ivoire)

VII.6 Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Guinea/Cote d' Ivoire)

The Committee recalled that the site was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 because of negative impacts from a proposed iron-ore mining project and threats due to the arrival of a large number of refugees from neighbouring countries. It furthermore recalled that an extensive report was presented to the Bureau at its nineteenth session in July 1995.

The Committee noted that in response to the Bureau's request for clarifications on the legal protection and classification of the site, the Ministry for Energy and Environment, by letter of 15 September 1995, indicated that the Government had taken several measures to develop and protect the site. This included the creation of a Management centre, "Centre de Gestion de l'Environnement des Monts Nimba (CEGEN)", responsible for all environmental and legal questions, as well as the international classification of the site, the monitoring of the water quality in the region and integrated rural development and socio-economic studies.

The Committee commended the States Parties for their efforts. Given the uncertainties and the shortcomings in on-site management, the Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The Bureau recommends the Committee to take note of the written information provided by the Secretariat and to adopt the following:

"The Committee commended the State Party for its efforts. However, given the uncertainties and the shortcomings in on-site management, the Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger."

Report year: 1995
Côte d'Ivoire Guinea
Date of Inscription: 1981
Category: Natural
Criteria: (ix)(x)
Danger List (dates): 1992-present
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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