Salonga National Park

• Armed conflict, lack of security and political instability
• Poaching by the army and armed groups
• Conflicts with local communities concerning Park boundaries
• Impact of villages located within the property

• Impact due to conflict
• Increased poaching and illegal encroachment affecting the integrity of the site

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4575 

Total amount granted: USD 320,000 from the United Nations Foundation and the Governments of Italy and Belgium 

On 13 February 2017, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/280/documents/. Progress in implementing the corrective measures is provided as follows:

• A ‘Rapid Intervention Force’, comprising of 40 elite guards of the Congolese Institute for Conservation of Nature (ICCN) has been established and operationalized to undertake long patrols in areas of high poaching pressure;
• A Surveillance Strategy will be finalized in the first part of 2017;
• Two meetings of the Site Coordination Committee (CoCoSi) were held in 2016 to evaluate and prepare the 2017 Operational Plan. Regional, national deputies and provincial governor attended these meetings where the matter of the livelihood of the local communities was discussed;
• Coordination of activities and communication between ICCN and its technical partners has significantly improved, leading to the establishment of a Rapid Response Team, and resulting in 60% surveillance coverage in 2016;
• The property was divided in 6 sectors including one base in each sector and several patrolling posts. Bases are equipped with SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) where data are collected and centralized at the park’s headquarters;
• Park infrastructures have been improved through, inter alia, rehabilitation of the park’s headquarters and purchase of equipment (vehicle and boat) to support surveillance. Additional supplies and equipment for park guards have been acquired and deployed;
• Extrapolation of ecological monitoring surveys of Lokofa, Lomela and Watsikengo blocks, covering 42% of the property, have produced a total estimated population of 18,419 bonobos and 1,738 elephants within the property;
• Demarcation of the park boundaries in the Lomela area between the sources of Emania and Bombilo Rivers was initiated through a stakeholders meeting;
• A biological inventory is expected in 2017 to assess the ecological continuity between the north and south components of the property;
• A study to assess the management options of the property in relation to the Yaelima and Kitawala communities was conducted between June and August 2016;
• A ‘demographic explosion along the park corridor’ is noted as a current threat that is affecting the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property.

General Decision on the properties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

• Current conservation issues

On 13 February 2017, the State Party submitted a report on the progress made in the implementation of Decision 40 COM 7A.42. This report is available at the following address https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/41com/documents/#state_of_conservation_reports and contains the information below:

• The Corps responsible for the security of the National Parks (CorPPN) and related natural reserves, created in June 2015, is not operational due to lack of human and financial resources. Nevertheless, in 2016, the State Party made available to the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) arms and ammunitions that has benefitted the National Parks of Garamba and Virunga ;
• No activity linked to petroleum was observed, in 2016, at the Virunga National Park. However, the State Party notes that it wishes to officially request an IUCN advisory mission to discuss the petroleum issue at the property;
• The support programme of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) of the European Union continues to provide financial and technical support to the National Parks of Virunga, Garamba and Salonga. Through the German Development Bank (KfW - Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau), Germany supports the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, and the National Parks of Salonga and Kahuzi-Biega ;
• The Trust Fund « Okapi Fund for Conservation - FOCON » for a sustainable funding of the protected areas of the DRC now has the status of a charitable organization and an Administrative Council. The World Bank and the KfW have funded the FOCON to the amount of 30 million US dollars. Nevertheless, the report underlines that the decree for the establishment of the FOCON Headquarters in the DRC has not yet been signed by the national authorities. Without the decree, this Fund cannot be operational

The establishment of a new Rapid Intervention Force and a Rapid Response Team is welcomed to further strengthen the State Party’s efforts to effectively tackle poaching. It is noted that the Surveillance Strategy to prioritize activities is near finalization. Furthermore, the reported increase in patrol coverage from 50% to 60% in the reporting period is a welcome achievement.

No update is provided on the State Party’s intention to consider further options to improve connectivity between the ‘sustainable conservation zones’ proposed in the ecological corridor to link the two components of the property, as requested by the Committee. However, the biological inventory would generate valuable information in order to inform the possible options on managing this corridor, and it is therefore considered that the plan for the Multiple Use Zone should be reviewed once the inventory is completed.

The meaning of the ‘demographic explosion’ in the corridor, as reported by the State Party, remains unclear and it is therefore recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide more information, comprising of the potential causes and the impact of this demographic explosion on the OUV of the property, including its conditions of integrity. Noting that an influx of immigrants can be driven by, or result in, illegal activities such as mining and poaching, careful monitoring and management action is required without delay in particular to address the root causes that have led to this problem.

The preliminary findings of the inventory of bonobos and elephants from the survey of three blocks are noted, as is the collection of ungulate data along these transects. Comprehensive global population data on bonobos, which are endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are currently lacking but estimates have previously suggested a minimum of 15,000-20,000 individuals in total. Considering the extrapolated population estimate, the property therefore appears to be a critical habitat for bonobos.

The study to weigh out options for the Yaelima and Kitawala communities either to remain in the property or to be relocated is noted. However, as requested by the Committee (Decision 40 COM 7A.40), it is crucial to initiate an effective dialogue with the communities to identify possible solutions and to also assess the socio-economic situation of the Yaelima community to inform the strategy on how to address their residence in the property. Information on progress in achieving either of these has not been provided.

Regarding the status of oil exploration and exploitation projects, it is recommended that the Committee regret that the State Party did not provide any information on this matter, as requested since 2012, following the comments made by the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, concerning its interest in oil exploration and exploitation in the Central Basin, which encompasses the property.

Efforts are pursued by the State Party to continue the implementation of the corrective measures with the aim to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR).

General Decision on the properties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

• Analysis and conclusions of the World Heritage Centre and the IUCN

The allocation of arms and ammunitions for the two properties, Garamba and Virunga National Parks, is an important effort on the part of the State Party; however, insecurity persists and is becoming more serious in the four properties located in the eastern part of the DRC. Technical and financial means must be made available to the ICCN to secure all the World Heritage properties and their surroundings.

The years 2016 and 2017 were dramatic for the ICCN staff and FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Eleven guards lost their lives and many others were seriously injured during attacks carried out against the National Parks of Garamba (2 victims), Virunga (5 victims) and Kahuzi Biega (3 victims). A guard was also killed at the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in May 2017. It is recommended that the Committee condemn this violence and address its condolences to the families of the guards and the soldiers killed during operations for the protection of the properties.

The delay incurred in the deployment of the CorPPN contingent is unfortunate. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to provide human and financial means to the CorPPN to render it operational and that it also requests the State Party to do its utmost to implement, in conformity with the Kinshasa Declaration (January 2011), and restore security conditions to enable the ICCN staff to carry out their mission.

With regard to the issue of petroleum exploration and exploitation projects, the State Party notes that no petroleum activity has been observed in the Virunga National Park. No information has been provided as concerns the petroleum interests at the Salonga National Park, expressed by the State Party during the 2012 Reactive Monitoring mission (see point 10 of Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A). It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to officially confirm the definite cancellation of the petroleum concession overlapping the Virunga National Park and to clarify the situation as regards its petroleum interest in the Salonga National Park.

The efforts of the State Party to mobilize major funding for the DRC properties are favourably welcomed. Important progress has been achieved in organizing the Trust Fund for the Protected Areas of the DRC. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to take legal measures by adopting the necessary decree to render operational the FOCON Fund; these provisions will enable the properties of the DRC to benefit from substantial financial resources.