Lakes of Ounianga
Factors affecting the property in 2015*
- Effects arising from use of transportation infrastructure
- Erosion and siltation/ deposition
- Housing
- Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Solid waste
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Urban development and infrastructures
- Waste management
- Pollution
- Transboundary road traffic
- Agricultural development
- Tourism development
- Silting of the lakes/reduction in water supply
- Absence of an adequate management plan
- Human pressure
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2015
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2015**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2015
On 22 January 2015, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1400/documents/. Progress achieved in the implementation of earlier Committee decisions is presented in this report, as follows:
- The management plan was established in a participatory manner with the local communities and guarantees their right to maintain sustainable traditional use of resources;
- The local communities are represented in the local Organization and Execution Committee responsible for the implementation of the management plan, and in the National Interministerial and Pluridisciplinary Scientific Committee (CSNIP), thus ensuring the respect of local traditions, the recognition and best use of local knowledge;
- The CSNIP meets regularly to examine requests of the local communities and ensure they are compatible with the management plan and to identify potential threats to the property, as well as priority management activities to be implemented;
- Other activities include:
- increasing the production of traditional market gardening by making available garden equipment and appropriate seeds,
- installing sign boards clarifying the status of the property as a World Heritage property,
- strict regulation of access of vehicles at the lake shores,
- appointment of staff to combat sand siltation, notably through the installation of fencing to prevent the dunes from advancing;
- Management of the property has an annual budget of 120 millions FCFA (about 183,000 euros) and 40% tourist income from the property. The property has a manager and an assistant, as well as the Ministry of Environment and Fisheries Resources staff to ensure surveillance and law enforcement.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2015
The State Party has achieved significant progress in the implementation of the Committee decisions and should be congratulated. The participation of local communities in the management of the property through the Local Committee and the CSNIP is a significant step as it ensures the respect of their rights to maintain sustainable traditional use of the resources and recognition of local knowledge.
Commendable progress has also been made in the combat against threats to the property, identified at the time of its inscription on the World Heritage List, such as pollution, agricultural development and siltation of the lakes. However, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide more information on certain measures undertaken. For example, in order to maintain the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, it is essential to ensure that at the time of sowing seeds to improve the production of market gardening, all risk of the introduction of invasive species must be avoided and controlled. Also, the installation of fencing to prevent the encroachment of the dunes must not impact the outstanding natural beauty of the property. With regard to waste management, although ‘clean-up’ days are organized, there always remains the need to set up a regular waste collection system to ensure that waste does not accumulate again.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2015
39 COM 7B.3
Lakes of Ounianga (Chad) (N 1400)
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
- Recalling Decisions 36 COM 8B.7 and 38 COM 7B.88, adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012) and 38th (Doha, 2014) sessions,
- Congratulates the State Party for the progress achieved in the implementation of the Committee decisions, notably in ensuring the participation of local communities in the management of the property and the respect of local knowledge and their rights to maintain sustainable traditional use of resources;
- Welcomes the progress made in the combat against threats to the property, in particular pollution, agricultural development and siltation of the lakes and requests the State Party to provide further information on these activities to ensure that:
- Seed distribution to improve the production of market gardening does not lead to an introduction, intentional or accidental, of invasive species and that this risk is strictly controlled,
- The installation of fencing to prevent the encroachment of the dunes does not impact negatively on the outstanding natural beauty of the property, as recognized by the inscription on the World Heritage List under criterion (vii);
- Also requests the State Party to pursue its efforts in establishing a regular garbage collection system, to ensure that the improvement in the cleanliness of the property can be continued and maintained;
- Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above.
Draft Decision: 39 COM 7B.3
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
- Recalling Decisions 36 COM 8B.7 and 38 COM 7B.88, adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012) and 38th (Doha, 2014) sessions,
- Congratulates the State Party for the progress achieved in the implementation of the Committee decisions, notably in ensuring the participation of local communities in the management of the property and the respect of local knowledge and their rights to maintain sustainable traditional use of resources;
- Welcomes the progress made in the combat against threats to the property, in particular pollution, agricultural development and siltation of the lakes and requests the State Party to provide further information on these activities to ensure that:
- Seed distribution to improve the production of market gardening does not lead to an introduction, intentional or accidental, of invasive species and that this risk is strictly controlled,
- The installation of fencing to prevent the encroachment of the dunes does not impact negatively on the outstanding natural beauty of the property, as recognized by the inscription on the World Heritage List under criterion (vii);
- Also requests the State Party to pursue its efforts in establishing a regular garbage collection system, to ensure that the improvement in the cleanliness of the property can be continued and maintained;
- Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above.
ChadDocuments examined by the Committee
39COM (2015)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.
