Socotra Archipelago

• Management systems / management plan
• Legal frameworks
• Governance
• Buildings and development
• Ground transport infrastructure: road network
• Biological resource use/modification
• Invasive/alien species or hyper-abundant species: absence of adequate biosecurity measures to avoid the introduction of invasive alien species
• Livestock farming/grazing of domesticated animals
• Fishing/collecting aquatic resources
• Solid waste: primarily in and around main settlements
• Civil unrest: unrest inhibiting management and access of international experts and capacity building support
• Climate change and severe weather events: cyclones

On 1 February 2020 the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1263/documents/, providing the following information:

• Political unrest in the country has created exceptionally difficult conditions and resulted in limited management capacity and funding;
• Changes were made to the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2019 but no details are provided;
• Climate change, plastic pollution and exotic species threats remain a challenge. Plastic pollution is increasing in the coastal Development Zone; awareness raising and management actions are underway;
• In cooperation with international partners, activities are planned to address key challenges of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) management, restoration activities for native species, biodiversity monitoring, awareness campaigns and assessment of protected area management. A 3-year endemic tree replanting project has been planned, commencing in 2020. Replanting activities are addressing landslides linked to climate change and overgrazing;
• Prioritized actions taken to address Committee Decisions from 2008-2019 as well as priority future actions include:
  • Management planning and reform of EPA Socotra to address IAS, sustainable terrestrial and marine resource management, and unsustainable development;
  • Revision of the 2000 Conservation Zoning Plan (CZP) is underway through the United Nations Environment Programme - Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF) project co-implemented by EPA;
  • 2016-2019 IAS activities include exotic species management, a compilation of all exotic species, development of a management plan and awareness raising. Capacity constraints limit enforcement;
  • Sustainable financing and capacity constraints continue to limit management including the establishment of a World Heritage management authority, biodiversity monitoring system and tourism strategy;
  • No uncontrolled developments have been recorded in sensitive areas and authorities are in dialogue with developers regarding uncontrolled developments in the buffer zone, however challenges are noted as a result of the economic crisis and limited enforcement capacity. The implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) is constrained by funding and capacity;
  • Pilot activities were implemented in collaboration with UNEP-GEF, Friends of Socotra and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) to reduce impacts of overgrazing and wood collection.

Despite invitations from the State Party, the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, requested by the Committee since 2016, as well as the technical workshop that was envisaged to follow the mission, could not be undertaken due to security and logistical issues.

In September 2019, UNESCO and Friends of Socotra launched the Connect 2 Socotra Campaign to raise awareness of Socotra’s rich heritage. Activities included a series of animated awareness videos initiated by the UNESCO Office for the Gulf Countries and Yemen, including a COVID-19 video released in Socotri language in 2020, and plans for further videos.

In May 2020, UNESCO received a letter from the State Party raising urgent concerns over clashes launched by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) against local authorities, and other threats at the property, and requesting the mission be undertaken as soon as possible.

The State Party’s commitment to strengthening management measures in collaboration with international partners, in spite of significant capacity constraints due to ongoing insecurity in Yemen, is recognized and welcome.

The report provides an overview of completed and planned management actions. However, also considering that the Reactive Monitoring mission requested by the Committee in particular since 2018 to review whether the property meets the conditions for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger has not taken place, the overall state of conservation of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) remain unclear. The effective management of the property continues to be affected by insecurity in mainland Yemen, with concerning clashes on Socotra in May 2020, and a lack of sustainable financing and capacity continue to constrain fundamental management measures. The reported negative impact of climate change, plastic pollution and IAS also remain an ongoing concern. Efforts to address IAS are welcome, however the effectiveness of implemented management measures in relation to OUV remains unclear. Recalling the high levels of endemism on Socotra, it is worrying that enforcement of IAS measures at the island’s borders remains constrained by limited management capacity and its continuation is dependent on the renewal of project funding. A strategic biodiversity monitoring system to monitor the natural values of, and threats to, the property, as well as a World Heritage management authority, remain to be established. Monitoring efforts should be facilitated by harnessing information-sharing and collaboration with the various scientific organisations undertaking research on Socotra.

Whilst noting the information that no violations of uncontrolled developments were recorded in sensitive areas and authorities are engaging with developers in the buffer zone, the status of developments both within and outside the property, including Delisha beach and Serin Lagoon, remains unclear. Furthermore, the confirmation that developments continue in the buffer zone without adequate impact assessment due to funding and capacity constraints of authorities to regulate these, and that further capacity is required to address coastal developments, is highly concerning. The review of the CZP could provide an opportunity to strengthen the protection of the buffer zone and the protection provisions of the property, to halt unsustainable use of natural resources, and promote sustainable land and sea management.

It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to halt all projects that potentially impact the OUV of the property, both within the property and buffer zone, to ensure that no new developments are allowed without an adequate assessment of impacts on the OUV, and to ensure that appropriate environmental controls are implemented. It is further recommended to request a map of all new developments that have been constructed in the property and its buffer zone since inscription.

In light of the continuing threats to the OUV of the property, it is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request that the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission be undertaken as soon as possible, to assess the overall state of conservation of the property and to determine whether its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger is warranted.

Recalling the State Party’s intention to hold a technical workshop following the mission, it is recommended to request the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to facilitate a technical workshop to bring together key technical stakeholders to systematically review the state of conservation, threats, and capacity to manage the property, as well as provide technical guidance for the protection and management of its OUV.