Salonga National Park

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

• 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 
An update is proposed for adoption in the draft decision below.

In progress

Total amount granted: USD 320,000 from the United Nations Foundation and the Governments of Italy and Belgium; USD 250,000 from the Government of Norway (2021-2022) 

A joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN Reactive Monitoring Mission visited the property in January / February 2020 (mission report available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/280/documents). On 27 February 2020, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property and additional information on 12 March 2021, all available at the same address and which provide the following information:

• Several activities were carried out favouring the empowerment of communities, in particular the creation and strengthening of farmer-led organisations (171), local development committees (350) and support for the process of creating community forests (172,802 hectares ) in the buffer zone of the property;
• The participatory process of creating forest concessions to ensure ecological connectivity between the two blocks of the Park is evaluated at 50%;
• An inclusive process of displacement of the Yaelima communities with their free, informed and prior consent has been initiated as well as the elaboration of an environmental and social safeguarding framework in accordance with international standards;
• The co-management agreement between the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and WWF expired in August 2018. Its evaluation was satisfactory and a new agreement is under negotiation and could be signed by the end of the first quarter of 2021;
• The biological inventories carried out from 2016 to 2018 on the entire property and the corridor made it possible to obtain data on the fauna. An average of 1,562 elephants and 14,988 bonobos indicate that their populations remain stable despite past pressures;
• The non-natural boundaries of the property have been demarcated at 52%, with the priority of limiting conflicts with communities. In 2020, UNESCO provided USD 250,000 to support the finalisation of the demarcation process in 2021;
• Funding from the European Commission is currently supporting the management of the property and new funding is being negotiated;
• Significant progress has been made with regard to indicators for monitoring biological values ​​as well as those for protection and management;
• The overall summary score of the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) has increased from 40.9% (2016) to 64.5% (2019); which shows an improvement in the efficiency of the management of the property;
• In total, 198 patrols were carried out, equivalent to 59% within 1km² against 39.7% in 2018. The encounter rate for hunting activities (0.0298) is slightly up and several seizures and arrests have been made;
• Various tools have been developed to guarantee the professionalisation of eco-guards in the face of alleged violations of human rights, and the governance of the property has been strengthened by the establishment of several consultation frameworks;
• There is no oil exploration or exploitation activity in the property but it remains a potential threat. In 2021, the environment minister of the new government will be alerted for the signing of a letter clarifying the final position of the State Party.

In response to alleged human rights violations by eco-guards, an independent study was launched by WWF International and published in November 2020.

The State Party and its partners have made significant efforts in the implementation of corrective measures, especially with regard to improving security of the property, rendering the anti-poaching strategy more effective, ensuring regular ecological monitoring of species characteristic of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and strengthening collaboration between all those involved in the management of the property. The joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN reactive monitoring mission was also able to note the important progress made in achieving the indicators of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). However, the significant progress observed should not obscure several recurring management weaknesses, requiring that the achievements be strengthened to enable the property to fully recover its original level of ecological integrity. Thanks to assistance from the Government of Norway and UNESCO, the participatory demarcation of the property will be finalised in 2021.

Negotiations between ICCN and WWF for the renewal of the co-management agreement are noted. It is important that this agreement or any other equivalent conventional instrument be finalised as soon as possible to ensure the sustainable continuation of management and protection activities.

The participatory work towards the creation of an ecological continuum between the two blocks of the Park is an important step forward and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to finalise the process by proposing a classification status and a management system for this space.

Improving collaboration between the management team, neighbouring communities and political, administrative and military authorities effectively contributes to the management of conflicts related to the use of natural resources. In this context, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to continue its efforts towards the empowerment of communities, the participatory finalisation of the demarcation of the non-natural boundaries of the park and the voluntary displacement of communities dwelling inside the park in accordance with the Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention.

The human rights violations by the eco-guards revealed by the independent study are of great concern. It is positive that the State Party has taken appropriate measures, and it is recommended to fully implement all measures in accordance with the recommendations of the independent study (see also draft decision 44 COM 7A.46).

The lack of sustainable funding aimed at ensuring the implementation of the management functions of the property is of concern and it is recommended that the State Party and its partners develop a sustainable funding system to ensure the effective management of the property.

Although there is currently no oil exploration or exploitation in the property, and it was noted during the reactive monitoring mission that no such intervention was undertaken that could affect the OUV of the property or its integrity, the existence of oil concessions allocated by presidential ordinance and straddling the property continues to constitute a potential threat to the OUV, as defined in paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines. It is recommended that the Committee regrets that these concessions have not yet been cancelled in accordance with its Decision 43 COM 7A.10, and that it reiterates its request to the State Party to cancel the current oil concessions, while not granting new concessions in the property and its periphery that could have negative and irreversible impacts on its OUV.

Finally, it is recommended that the Committee retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger pending the achievement of the elements proposed by the 2020 mission. However, in view of the progress made in the implementation of the corrective measures, it is recommended that the Committee no longer apply the reinforced monitoring mechanism for this property.

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.