8. Mr. von Droste stated that three States Parties had ratified the Convention during 1989 and expressed the wish that further efforts be made to encourage the adherence of new States Parties. The Committee noted the work that the Secretariat had undertaken to coordinate efforts to conserve the world's natural heritage with those of other international funds and conventions, such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-International) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Committee noted the development of the proposed draft convention on biological diversity, evolving within the scope of Unesco's activities as a member of the Ecosystem Conservation Group (UNEP, FAO, Unesco and IUCN), in order to report back to the Committee's future sessions on the implications for the World Heritage Convention. The Committee also noted the promotional activities briefly described by Mr. von Droste. The Committee noted the different types of international assistance projects approved and implemented during 1989, and took special note of the fact that the demand for assistance for training was growing at a faster rate than other types of international assistance provided from the World Heritage Fund. Several delegates congratulated the Secretariat on the work undertaken. The representative from Canada emphasized that other programmes of Unesco needed to have a better understanding of the work of the Convention and the decision­making role of the World Heritage Committee. IUCN informed the Committee of activities which it had undertaken to promote the Convention. For example, at the Fourth South Pacific Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Conference, held in Vanuatu in September 1989, IUCN had presented a report on the Convention and that as a result, several of the South Pacific countries such as Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea had shown their interest in joining the Convention.

12. In accordance with the conclusions of the Bureau at its 13th session and taking account of the above-mentioned resolution, the Committee decided to allocate under the 1990 budget a sum of $20,000 to cover the costs of the participation at the Bureau and Committee sessions of specialists in cultural and natural heritage conservation representing the States Members of the Committee which appear on the United Nations List of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). For 1990, this measure would apply to two States Members of the Committee: the United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen Arab Republic.

13. In the discussions on this question, the Committee stressed the fact that such an allocation should be given exclusively for national experts or managers of sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.

14. Having being mandated by the Committee, the Bureau considered that it would be difficult to apply rigid mechanisms for the election of Committee members so as to ensure an appropriate balance between an equitable representation of the geographical regions and of the cultural areas. The Bureau, in addition, requested the Secretariat to submit proposals for guidelines at its next session which the Committee could submit for consideration to the General Assembly for the next elections.

The Committee noted with satisfaction the incorporation of environmental safeguards into the agreement signed on 4 December 1989 between the Government of Zimbabwe and Mobil Oil relating to oil exploration in this site. The Committee decided to commend Zimbabwe on the action taken and to urge that it monitor the effects of the exploration closely. The Committee requested the Zimbabwean authorities to inform the Secretariat in the event that oil extraction might proceed later as this could significantly affect the site's integrity.

The Committee noted an earlier request that the Ivoirian authorities agree to this site's inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger had brought no response. However, the Committee noted that only recently had the Secretariat received a response in the form of a request for preparatory assistance. This preparatory assistance could take the form of a workshop to evaluate the situation and revise a draft of an integrated project to safeguard this site, to be financed jointly by the World Heritage Fund (technical cooperation) and extra-budgetary resources. The Committee encouraged the Secretariat and IUCN to follow-up this matter and report back to the Bureau at its next session.

The Committee noted IUCN's concerns about the integrity of this site and asked that IUCN provide further information when the report from the national conservation authority is received.

The Committee recalled that there was a project to construct a major highway across the Park which would greatly jeopardize its natural values, and that the Bureau had expressed its preference for an alternative route outside the Park. On 1 August 1989, in accordance with the Bureau's recommendation, the Director-General of Unesco had written to the President of Senegal, His Excellency A. Diouf, informing him of the Bureau's preference for the alternative route. The Secretariat indicated to the Committee that, at a meeting held in Dakar on 14 November 1989, the Senegalese authorities had nevertheless stated their intention to proceed with the construction of the highway across the park.

The World Bank had advised the Secretariat of its involvement in this project with associated bodies, through the preparation of a proposed programme for a Transport Sector Credit of which this project was part. The Bank had concluded, on the basis of the documents provided by Senegal, that the alternative route outside the park had not been sufficiently assessed. The Committee agreed with the Bank's proposal to carry out a more detailed study of the alternative route, which is presently being examined under a Bank appraisal mission in the field.

The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the Senegalese authorities to recall their responsibility in maintaining the integrity of this World Heritage site, stressing that the Committee offered its full co-operation in seeking a satisfactory solution to this issue which would safeguard the natural World Heritage values. The Committee also requested the Secretariat to contact the World Bank to inform it of the Committee's views.

The Committee decided to encourage Tunisia in its efforts to seek financial resources to undertake activities such as the building of the Tindja sluice and two other drainage canals to ensure maintenance of the integrity of the wetlands critical to the values of this site. At the same time, the Committee agreed that the Tunisian authorities should be congratulated on improvements to the site's management consequent on completion of the visitors' centre, institution of controls on cattle grazing and additional staffing.

The Committee noted that the Bureau had requested the Secretariat to contact the Ecuadorian authorities over possible excision of land from the park and to propose a request for technical cooperation to support a revised management plan. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to continue its efforts in these directions.

The Committee noted that the possibility still existed for future oil and gas exploration which could prejudice the integrity of this site.

The Committee noted the decision of the World Bank not to provide funds to Guinea for proposed iron-ore mining which would prejudice this site. It noted that this decision was made on economic grounds. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the authorities of the Cdte d'Ivoire and Guinea on this matter to encourage them to take the concerns of the Committee into consideration and preserve the integrity of the site.

IUCN reported on the invasion of this site in February 1989 by the Bodo tribespeople. IUCN reported that it had been consulting with the Indian authorities, and it had been informed that measures were being taken to resolve this problem. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to follow up the situation with the Indian authorities.

The Committee noted with appreciation the availability to other States Parties of the fire management review and the fire recovery plan obtainable from the Director of the U.S. National Park Service.

The Committee noted the report of IUCN and the clarification made by the Canadian delegation on the environmental assessment now proceeding into disease in the park's hybrid buffalo herd and the external threat which may result from proposed industrial development upstream from the park. The Committee noted the commitment of the Canadian delegation to maintain the site's integrity and asked that IUCN continue to contact the Canadian authorities and report back to the Bureau at its next session.

The Committee noted developments in relation to possible ownership changes to the hydro-electric scheme existing in this site when it was inscribed. The Committee decided to commend New Zealand on its initiative to give statutory authority to the independent "Guardians" group in its efforts to ensure that any changes in ownership of electricity generation in the park will not threaten its integrity as a World Heritage site.

The representative of IUCN informed the Committee of a law suit that had been brought to bear against offenders to the integrity of this site. In addition, the representative of the U.S. informed the Committee of additional efforts to protect this site, notably the allocation by the U.S. Government of US$32 million to purchase over 43,000 ha of wetlands next to the Park which would help mitigate some of the problems related to the quality and quantity of freshwater entering the park. The Committee wished to commend the U.S. authorities for this initiative and for its commitment to maintain the park's integrity.