Kahuzi-Biega National Park

• Presence of armed groups, lack of security and political instability rendering a large part of the property inaccessible to the guards
• Attribution of mining permits inside the property (issue resolved)
• Poaching by armed military groups
• Bush meat hunting
• Villages in the ecological corridor between the highland and lowland sectors of the park
• Illegal mining and deforestation

• Adverse refugee impact
• Irregular presence of armed militias and settlers at the property
• Increased poaching
• Deforestation 

A draft has been developed during the 2017 Reactive Monitoring mission (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/137/documents), but the biological indicators still need to be quantified based on the results of a census of large mammals available at late 2018

Adopted in 2017, see page http://whc.unesco.org/fr/decisions/6954 

In progress

Total amount granted: USD 1,003,900 from the United Nations Foundation (UNF), and the Governments of Italy and Belgium, and by the Rapid Response Facility (RRF), USD 300,000 from the Government of Norway (2021-2022).

On 26 March 2020, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation, and additional information on 12 March 2021, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/137/documents, containing the following information:

• Collaboration between the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), local chiefs and authorities continues to improve the management of the property;
• Improved security in 2019 allowed for activities across all seven sectors of the property (two opened in 2019), resulting in the neutralization of Mai-Mai, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and Nyatura warlords. Increased patrols (1,921 patrols) covered 69.2% (16,758 km²) of the property (35.6% in 2017; 37.4% in 2018);
• No significant progress regarding the evacuation of armed groups from the property apart from the declaration of cessation of hostilities signed by 70 armed groups on 17 November 2020 in Bukavu;
• Antipoaching efforts included patrols, establishment of a Centre for the Coordination of Operations (CCOPs) for real-time monitoring and a judicial cell to monitor legal cases. 98 poachers were arrested for trapping, illegal logging and artisanal ore digging, leading to 27 convictions;
• Measures to address illicit trafficking, particularly of great apes, include media campaigns, awareness-raising with local communities, gorilla surveillance patrols, dismantling of poaching networks and installation of road checks. No cases of baby gorilla or chimpanzee trafficking were recorded in 2019;
• All mining sites in the property have been closed. Patrols recorded 19 small-scale artisanal mining excavation holes, of which seven active holes were subsequently dismantled by patrols;
• There has been no change to eco-guard numbers. Capacity building activities included humanitarian law and first aid; scientific monitoring techniques (Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) and infantry tactics. Teams were deployed in all stations of the property;
• The recommendations of the 2015 “National Forum on Governance and Valorization of the Property” are being implemented by strengthening surveillance patrols in the ecological corridor and peaceful resolution of the conflict with neighboring communities/Batwa, as well as raising awareness of state service staff on global heritage values;
• Efforts to address encroachment include awareness-raising, surveillance patrols, law enforcement collaboration, and plans for a provincial high-level dialogue on sustainable protection of the property and coexistence with local communities;
• Sustainable development activities include establishment of a Community Conservation Governance Council (CGCC), promoting animal breeding, microcredits and education;
• The demarcation of boundaries continued with two missions, and the identification of the villages located within the property; however, no information has been provided on the distance covered by the demarcation beyond 2018;
• The property was ranked third in Africa during the 2019 Sustainable Destination Awards and ongoing sustainable tourism is reported as a sustainable financing measure.

The improved security situation in the property in 2019 and the continued collaboration between ICCN, FARDC and local authorities are encouraging, allowing patrol access to all seven sectors of the property. This has allowed a significant increase in overall surveillance coverage (69.2%), for the first time meeting the 60% corrective measure threshold. Eco-guard capacity building activities are welcomed and should be continued in line with the corrective measures.

The closing down of all remaining artisanal mining activities throughout the property is a major achievement and if this situation can be maintained over a longer period, this would be a major step towards improving the state of conservation of the property.

The various measures to address poaching and trafficking, particularly of great apes, including anti-poaching cells, arrests and the report that no trafficking of baby gorillas or chimpanzees was recorded in 2019, are welcomed. However, it would be important for the State Party to provide, in its future reports, more data on the results of such actions taken to address illegal activities. 

Although the report provides little detail on the extent of boundary demarcation achieved, it is encouraging that such efforts have continued and it is recommended that the process be accelerated, taking advantage of the improved security situation. Unfortunately, the State Party does not provide further information on the status of the ecological corridor, following confirmation in 2019 that the corridor had been evacuated and the Committee’s request for the State Party to evaluate the human impacts on the ecological corridor and to develop a rehabilitation plan to facilitate the regeneration of natural vegetation and restoration of the integrity of the property. These activities should be implemented, and the State Party should also undertake to identify a long-term solution for the villages, which were included in the National Park at the time of its extension towards the lowland in 1978.

The promotion of a range of community engagement measures is welcomed, including establishment of a CCGC, sustainable development for associated communities through alternative livelihoods, microfinancing and education and the strengthening of measures to address encroachment. However, recent reports on the official Facebook page of the park indicate that encroachment in the highland sector is an increasing issue and this will need to be addressed as a matter of priority. Through support from the Government of Norway, it is also foreseen that UNESCO supports the efforts of the State Party to finalize participatory demarcation and build community resilience.

The efforts for peaceful conflict resolution with communities, in particular the indigenous Batwa, are welcomed. However, the State Party’s lack of response to concerns raised by indigenous Batwa regarding delays in the implementation of the recommendations from the 2019 Bukavu Dialogue is regrettable, and these actions and should be further strengthened as a matter of priority, in line with the Policy on the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention.

With the evacuation of the ecological corridor reported last year and the closure of all mining sites reported this year, significant progress has been made towards restoring the integrity of the property. These achievements are crucial elements contributing towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). It is therefore unfortunate that no quantitative wildlife data, particularly on flagship gorilla species, have been provided. Repeated requests for the State Party to provide the data of the inventory of the property that commenced in 2014, and was expected to be finalized in 2018, have not been actioned. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.48 and 43 COM 7A.8, that these results are crucial for the evaluation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and to achieve the DSOCR, the Committee should request the State Party to provide clarification on the status of wildlife inventories and to subsequently prepare indicators based on this information to finalize the DSOCR. 

It is recommended that the Committee retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism.

46. General decision on the World Heritage properties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Current conservation issues

On 26 March 2020, the State Party submitted a report on the implementation of Decision 42 COM 7A.52, available at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/718/documents and providing the following information:

• Progress accomplished in the implementation of the 2011 Kinshasa Declaration and the corrective measures for each of the five properties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is described (see Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A);
• A special army Corps responsible for security of the National Parks and relevant protected areas (CorPPN), which was created in June 2015, is now operational: a command structure was established in 2018, and in 2019 anti-poaching units were dispatched to six priority sites in the DRC, including all five World Heritage properties. Senior officers, logistics and operations rooms were put in place in the different sites;
• With regard to oil exploitation in Salonga and Virunga National Parks, the report states that oil exploitation, at this stage, does not threaten the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the two properties, as no exploration or exploitation activities are on-going. The report further states that “la volonté traduite à son temps par le gouvernement n’est plus à l’ordre du jour” (sic) (“the will expressed by the government at that time is no longer on the agenda”);
• A list of funding mobilised for the five properties for the period 2016 to 2023, totalling more than 100 million Euros, is provided. Key donors include the European Commission and the Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW). No further information is provided on the status of the Trust Fund “Okapi Fund for Conservation – FOCON” for sustainable funding of the protected areas in the DRC;

The World Heritage Centre also received several letters on alleged human rights abuses by eco-guards in two properties (Salonga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks). These were forwarded to the protected area authority, the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN). An Independent Review was initiated by WWF, and in Salonga National Park, a code of conduct for the eco-guards and a complaint mechanism were established, while guards have received training on human rights issues.

Analysis and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies

The operationalization of the CorPPN at the level of each of the World Heritage properties, together with the creation of operational rooms and capacity building of the eco-guards, are important steps to further professionalize law enforcement in the properties and address the continuing threats of poaching, including by professional poaching groups. The reported alleged human rights abuses towards  indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are highly concerning, and it is crucial that the State Party urgently implement strong measures to ensure that the rights of IPLCs are fully respected in all management decisions. Measures should include the establishment of a code of conduct and provision of training on human rights issues for all patrol units that includes appropriate law enforcement techniques with regard to the use of force and forearms, to ensure law enforcement operations are conducted in a way that fully respects the rights of IPLCs, and avoids excessive use of force and loss of human lives, in full respect  of relevant international norms. Furthermore, management processes should follow a rights-based approach and ensure full involvement of all rightsholders and stakeholders, in particular IPLCs, in line with the Policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development. It is encouraging that the protected area authority and its partners have already taken measures to address these issues and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to further strengthen these efforts including by establishing and implementing a national code of conduct for eco-guards and a grievance mechanism for human rights abuses, and by training all law enforcement staff on human rights issues as part of regular training. It is also recommended that the outcomes of the Independent Review are taken into consideration.

It is noted that the security situation is reported to have improved in most of the properties. It is important that the State Party takes advantage of this situation to address the drivers of fundamental threats impacting the different properties linked to insecurity and lawlessness. These include the closure of illegal mining operations and reclaiming parts of the properties occupied by armed forces since the start of the conflict. Encouraging achievements so far are the evacuation of illegal occupants in the corridor between the highland and lowland sectors in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the closure of artisanal gold mines in the hunting areas surrounding Garamba National Park. It is crucial that the protected area authority receives the full support of all appropriate ministries and agencies, as well as traditional and political authorities to achieve this, in line with the 2011 Kinshasa Declaration.

It is concerning however, that issues of insecurity persist, noting particularly in Virunga National Park and Okapi Wildlife Reserve, where, since the previous session of the Committee, a further 25 park staff were killed in armed attacks. It is recommended that the Committee again strongly condemn this violence, address its condolences to the families of the victims and ICCN staff, and express its utmost concern regarding the continuing insecurity in and around Virunga National Park.

The confirmation by the State Party that there is currently no oil exploration or exploitation on-going in Virunga and Salonga National Parks and that the government is currently no longer pursuing oil development projects inside the two properties, is noted. However, as long as the concessions that have been attributed by Presidential Decree to companies for oil blocks overlapping with these properties are not revoked, the potential for oil projects to legally proceed in future remains, thereby continuing to impose a potential threat to the OUV of the properties, in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines. This potential for extractive activities to occur has been demonstrated again by the legal action taken by certain companies against the State Party, asserting their legal rights to activate concessions. It is therefore recommended that the Committee express its regret that the State Party has neither cancelled these concessions nor provided the Committee with an unequivocal commitment not to authorize any new oil exploration and exploitation within the boundaries of the DRC properties. The Committee should also reiterate its clear position concerning the incompatibility of oil exploration and exploitation with World Heritage status and urge once again the State Party to cancel all concessions for oil blocks that overlap with World Heritage properties. 

The important efforts to mobilize funding for the management of the properties of the DRC and the implementation of corrective measures, as well as the firm commitment of the various donors to provide substantial financial and technical support, are welcomed. However, it is noted that the funding situation remains precarious, in particular for Salonga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks and Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The importance of a sustainable financing mechanism also needs to be stressed, as all properties currently fully depend on outside project funding supported by international donors, which can be unpredictable and is not sustainable in the long term. In this respect, it is regrettable that no further information was provided on the status and capitalisation of the FOCON Trust Fund.