World Heritage Centre

43 COM 2 Admission of observers

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
Authorizes the participation in the 43rd session, as observers, of the representatives of international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), non- governmental organizations (NGOs), permanent observer missions to UNESCO and non profit-making institutions in the fields covered by the Convention, listed in Part I of the Document WHC/19/43.COM/2.

43 COM 3A Adoption of the Agenda

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/3A,
Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.

43 COM 3B Provisional Timetable

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/3B,
Adopts the Timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.

43 COM 4 Report of the Rapporteur of the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee (Manama, 2018)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee (Manama, 2018).

43 COM 5A Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5A,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 5A adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018) and Decision 40 COM 5D adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over the past year in pursuit of the Expected Result to ensure that “Tangible heritage identified, protected, monitored and sustainably managed by Member States, in particular through the effective implementation of the 1972 Convention”, and the five strategic objectives as presented in Document WHC/19/43.COM/5A;
Further notes the efforts by the World Heritage Centre to strengthen the cooperation with the other biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements in the framework of the Biodiversity Liaison Group (BLG), welcomes the first Global Biodiversity Assessment presented at the seventh session of Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and calls on all States Parties to the Convention to actively engage in the preparation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework in order to set an ambitious global agenda to halt biodiversity loss, including through the implementation of the World Heritage Convention;
Takes note that only limited voluntary contributions have been committed by States Parties for the organization of an expert meeting on memory sites and reiterates its invitation to States Parties to contribute financially to this end;
Invites the States Parties to support the activities carried out by the World Heritage Centre for the implementation of the Convention;
Requests the World Heritage Centre to present, at its 44th session, a report on its activities.

43 COM 5B Reports of the Advisory Bodies

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5B,
Takes note with appreciation of the reports of the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN) on their activities;
Also takes note of the progress made as well as the challenges and gaps identified by the Advisory Bodies in the framework of the implementation of the Convention.

43 COM 5C World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5C,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, 39 COM 5D, 40 COM 5C and 41 COM 5C adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions, as well as Resolution 20 GA 13, adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Welcomes the follow-up activities and the progress made so far in mainstreaming the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” (WH-SDP) into the activities of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and into the processes of the Convention;
Recalling that the WH-SDP stipulates that all dimensions of sustainable development should apply to natural, cultural and mixed properties in their diversity, and that sustainable development is underpinned by good governance frameworks, requests the States Parties to take a systematic and holistic approach to mainstreaming the WH-SDP into their national and local policies, processes, and initiatives related to the implementation of the Convention and to development in and around World Heritage properties;
Invites the States Parties undertaking activities towards the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to include synergies with the WH-SDP, whenever possible, in order to tap into the potential of the World Heritage Convention to contribute to sustainable development;
Encourages the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies and other relevant partners, to reflect on interlinkages between the implementation of the WH-SDP and the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as other relevant global agreements, such as those related to climate change and disaster risk reduction, and related World Heritage strategies and policies that could inform activities, tools, guidance, and communications related to sustainable development;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre pursue, within the available resources, the development of activities including policies, tools, operational activities, guidance and communication towards operationalising the WH-SDP and supporting the States Parties in its implementation;
Calls on States Parties and other potential partners to contribute financially or through in-kind support to activities towards mainstreaming and operationalising the WH-SDP;
Decides to inscribe an agenda item concerning World Heritage and Sustainable Development at its 45th session in 2021, and finally requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard.

43 COM 5D Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World Heritage

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5D,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, 39 COM 5D, 40 COM 5C, 41 COM 5C, and 42 COM 17 adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively, as well as Resolution 20 GA 13, adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Takes note of the African States Parties’ unique biodiversity and richness and their immense wealth of cultural heritage and local knowledge that have come down to humanity so far, and that must be conserved and passed on to future generations;
Welcomes with appreciation the activities of the World Heritage Centre along with Field Offices, the Advisory Bodies, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and other partners in raising awareness and building capacities around various issues related to World Heritage and sustainable development in Africa as well as the efforts towards developing policy and assessment tools and requests that these efforts be pursued;
Recognizes the specifically delicate task of balancing World Heritage and Sustainable Development by the least developed countries, notably of the African region, given that it is faced with a disproportionally higher level of poverty globally;
Further recognizes the need to employ innovative and transformative solutions for reconciling World Heritage and Sustainable Development that will take into account the nature, complexity and specificity of socio-economic constraints that these less developed countries continue to face;
Takes note of the Position Paper on World Heritage and Sustainable Development in Africa adopted in October 2018 by the African Union through resolution STC/YCS-3/MIN/Report 67, as acknowledged in paragraph 20 d) of the Document WHC/19/43.COM/6;
Recalls its Decision 37 COM 7 (Part III) which urges all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and leading industry stakeholders, to respect the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) “No-go” commitment by not permitting extractive activities within World Heritage properties, and by making every effort to ensure that extractive companies located in their territory cause no damage to World Heritage properties, in line with Article 6 of the Convention;
Reiterates the need to integrate the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of World Heritage properties with inclusive and sustainable development needs through the effective implementation of the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy (WH-SDP) aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value should be furthermore ensured by including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), in national and international development projects, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Calls upon the African States Parties to strengthen governance of World Heritage properties and mainstream the WH-SDP principles in national and local conservation and management activities in and around World Heritage properties and processes related to World Heritage in Africa, and to mainstream them in national and local plans for development;
Further calls upon African States Parties to focus their development efforts to benefit local communities, including them in the decision-making, and building on their knowledge and needs with progressive and proactive conservation of natural and cultural heritage; and to create enabling environments for innovative solutions inclusive of green and blue economies while progressing towards other SDGs;
Calls upon all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention as well as international agencies and development partners, international finance institutions, industries, private sector, and other partners including multi and bi-lateral partners to join in ensuring policy coherence and harness synergies in multilateral agreements, investments, and protocols. These include the UN 2030 Agenda, and the “Africa 2063” Agenda as well as the WH-SDP to deliver multiple benefits, with inclusive governance mechanisms that bring all round benefits to the local communities in and around World Heritage properties;
Thanks the States Parties and partners who have generously contributed to strengthening sustainable development in Africa and invites all States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to support, financially and through other means, awareness-raising and capacity-reinforcement programmes at various levels as well as activities aimed at developing guidance, innovative solutions, tools, mechanisms, and strategies for integrating heritage conservation into sustainable development policies and programmes and mainstreaming the sustainable development approach in conservation and management activities in Africa;
Also invites the Secretariat and Advisory Bodies, in collaboration with African States Parties, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and other stakeholders to spearhead research into innovative solutions for sustainable development, providing measures at the operational level, that guide and coordinate the efforts of the African States Parties to the World Heritage Convention for the conservation of OUV in World Heritage properties, both cultural and natural, and their contribution to the sustainable development of local communities in particular; and also to establish a platform of good practices in integrating heritage conservation with sustainable development for African World Heritage properties;
Requests the World Heritage Centre to present, at its 44th session in 2020, a progress report on Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World Heritage.

43 COM 5E Report on strengthening of dialogue between the Advisory Bodies and States Parties

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/5E,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 5C, 39 COM 13A (Bonn, 2015), 40 COM 5B (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41 COM 5B, 41 COM 7, 41 COM 11 (Krakow, 2017), 42 COM 5B and 42 COM 9A (Manama, 2018),
Also recalling paragraphs 71, 72, and 73 of the Operational Guidelines, encouraging States Parties to seek early advice from the Advisory Bodies for the preparation and update of their Tentative Lists and paragraph 74 highlighting the importance of capacity building for Tentative List preparation,
Recognizing that the question of dialogue has long been a matter of reflection between the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, and further recalling in this regard the “Thinking Ahead” initiative (2012-2015) to improve dialogue, communication and transparency among States Parties and Advisory Bodies notably, with the objective of enhancing the credibility of the Convention,
Calls upon States Parties preparing to revise their Tentative Lists and undertaking Tentative List harmonization processes to engage in dialogue with the Advisory Bodies at the earliest possible stage of the process;
Also calls upon States Parties to comply with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and inform the Committee at the earliest stage possible, and before any irreversible decisions are made, of their intention to undertake or to authorize major restorations or new constructions which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of a property, to ensure that dialogue may take place at the appropriate time;
Requests the Advisory Bodies to prepare specific capacity building modules on the nomination and management planning processes, pending the availability of sufficient funds, and also requests interested States Parties to contribute financial resources towards the creation and implementation of such modules by the Advisory Bodies, the World Heritage Centre and Category 2 Centres;
Further requests the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and the States Parties to continue to develop innovative ideas to promote and strengthen dialogue which can be implemented on a trial basis to ensure their effectiveness and absence of unintended negative consequences and recommends that these be taken into account in the framework of the Reactive Monitoring process, as well as in the framework of the reform of the nomination process;
Invites the Advisory Bodies to engage in effective and constructive dialogue with States Parties in the preparation of Tentative Lists, in the nomination process, including before the publication of recommendations, and post inscription (including monitoring missions), with the aim of achieving more effective credibility, transparency and better implementation of the Convention and Sustainable Development Goals.

43 COM 6 Follow-up to the World Heritage Capacity-building Strategy and progress report on the World Heritage-related Category 2 Centres

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/6,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 6, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the progress made in the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS);
Requests ICCROM, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and ICOMOS, to carry out a results-based evaluation of the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy, consulting Category 2 Centres and other capacity building partners, for examination by the Committee at its 45th session in 2021;
Further requests ICCROM, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN, ICOMOS, the Category 2 Centres, and other capacity building partners, based on the above-mentioned evaluation, to review progress and outcomes of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session in 2022;
Invites States Parties to contribute extra-budgetary resources for the evaluation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy and its revision;
Notes with appreciation the support from States Parties to capacity building;
Calls upon other States Parties and organizations to provide additional funding and support for the implementation of the World Heritage Leadership Programme and other activities as part of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy at the international and regional levels;
Takes note of the implementation of the regional capacity-building strategies and initiatives, and also calls upon States Parties and all concerned partners and stakeholders to follow up on the implementation of the strategies developed for each region;
Welcomes the progress made by the category 2 centres related to World Heritage in implementing their activities and further calls upon interested stakeholders to support these activities;
Encourages the Advisory Bodies and the category 2 centres to establish joint regional capacity-building programmes which facilitate and promote knowledge and experience exchanges among professionals, institutions and other stakeholders;
Requests the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM to submit an in-depth report on the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy by improving the quality of its content by emphasizing concrete outcomes and the activities of the category 2 centres related to World Heritage for examination by the Committee at its 44th session in 2020.

43 COM 7.1 Statutory matters related to Reactive Monitoring

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/7,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, and 42 COM 7, adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Thanks the State Party of Azerbaijan, Host Country of the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee (Baku, 2019), for having organized the third World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum, as a capacity-building exercise aimed at increasing the understanding of the World Heritage decision-making process among site managers, in order to achieve more effective protection of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), takes note with appreciation of the 2019 World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum Statement and encourages the future Host Countries to continue this initiative in conjunction with the World Heritage Committee session;

Evaluation of the Reactive Monitoring process
Taking note with appreciation of the evaluation of the Reactive Monitoring process launched by the World Heritage Centre, thanks the State Party of Switzerland for its financial support, as well as the experts tasked with this evaluation, for their thorough analysis of this process, instrumental in achieving the objectives of the World Heritage Convention;
Expresses its gratitude to all the stakeholders of the Convention who have actively contributed to this evaluation;
Notes that the recommendations formulated in the evaluation refer to improvements of the current practices and do not call for structural changes nor amendments to the statutory documents, and requests all stakeholders of the Convention to take them on-board and implement them at their level as soon as possible;
Agrees that the World Heritage Centre should prioritize implementation of the high priority recommendations, with an initial focus on those relevant to communication, capacity-building, including for site managers, and finance;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of the recommendations, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;

Issues related to the List of World Heritage in Danger
Reaffirming the need to promote a better understanding of the implications and benefits of properties being inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger,
Thanks the State Party of Romania for its initiative to host a multi-stakeholder international workshop focusing on the List of World Heritage in Danger, including exchange of good practice, promotion of the properties inscribed on this List and the conservation needs to improve their state of conservation, such as Costed Action Plans;
Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a report on this workshop and other initiatives related to the List of World Heritage in Danger at the 44th session in 2020;

Selection of the World Heritage properties to be proposed for discussion
Reaffirming the importance of focusing the debates on those properties and global conservation issues of greatest concern during the World Heritage Committee sessions, and taking into account the results of the evaluation of the Reactive Monitoring process,
Supports the outcomes of the reflection conducted by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies regarding the elaboration of the list of state of conservation reports to be proposed for discussion by the Committee, as well as the current practice allowing Committee members to add to this list the reports they wish to discuss, by providing a written request to the Chairperson of the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, sufficiently in advance of the session, and indicating the reason why the reports are requested to be opened for discussion;
Recognizes that the selection of the state of conservation reports to be discussed by the Committee during its sessions should be based on clear and objective criteria, including the level of threat to the property, rather than being based on representativity.

43 COM 7.2 Pressing conservation issues

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/7, WHC/19/43.COM/7A, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.3, WHC/19/43.COM/7B, WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add, WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add.2 and WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.3,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, and 42 COM 7, adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,

Emergency situations resulting from conflicts
Deplores the loss of human life as well as the degradation of humanitarian conditions resulting from the prevailing conflict situations in several countries, and expresses its utmost concern at the devastating damage sustained and the continuing threats facing cultural and natural heritage in general;
Expresses its deep concern at the inter-community conflicts observed in Mali between the Dogon and Fulani communities, which have caused considerable loss of human life and significant damage to the cultural heritage, particularly within the World Heritage property of the Cliffs of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons);
Thanks the State Party of Mali for the urgent actions that have been put in place to ensure the safety of communities in and around the property, and encourages the State Party, to also take into account in its actions the protection of the property’s rich cultural heritage, and to do so in collaboration with the stakeholders involved in the establishment of long-term peace in Mali;
Welcomes the dispatch of a UNESCO mission to assess the damage caused to the property, and identify the needs related to the built and intangible cultural heritage and the objects and practices associated with the Cliffs of Bandiagara, in order to propose an Action Plan for the rehabilitation of the villages concerned;
Urges again all parties associated with conflicts to refrain from any action that would cause further damage to cultural and natural heritage and to fulfill their obligations under international law by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage, in particular the safeguarding of World Heritage properties and the sites included in the Tentative List;
Also urges again States Parties to adopt measures against using World Heritage properties for military purposes and to stop related uncontrolled development and impact;
Reiterates its utmost concern about the continuing threats of wildlife poaching and illegal trafficking of wildlife products linked to impacts of conflict and organized crime, which is eroding the biodiversity and Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of many World Heritage sites across the world, and urges States Parties to take the necessary measures to curb this problem, including through the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);
Calls upon the international community to further support the safeguarding of the cultural and natural heritage of countries affected by conflict, through earmarked funds or through contributions to the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
Appeals to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural objects, as well as cultural heritage protection in general, including through the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2199 (2015), 2253 (2015) and 2347 (2017);

Reconstruction
Thanks the State Party of Poland for the efforts to widely disseminate the Warsaw Recommendation on Recovery and Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage, as well as the proceedings of the international conference "The Challenges of World Heritage Recovery" held in Warsaw in May 2018;
Welcomes the policy document "Culture in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of cities", published by UNESCO and the World Bank, which contributes to the reflection launched on the challenges related to the reconstruction of World Heritage properties;
Requests the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM and the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, to continue the reflection on the recovery and reconstruction of World Heritage properties, and requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies report back to the World Heritage Committee on the progress made in improving advice in this regard;

Climate Change
Notes with appreciation the initiatives taken by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to advance work on updating the Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties, including through a planned widespread online consultation with States Parties, Advisory Bodies and civil society;
Requests that the development of the updated Policy Document be completed for consideration by the Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Welcomes the initiative taken by the World Heritage Centre together with a global private-public consortium of partners, to build climate adaptation strategies across five marine World Heritage sites in Australia, Belize, France and Palau;
Urges all States Parties to step up action toward better understanding the climate vulnerability of World Heritage properties and put in place adaptation strategies that strengthen the resilience of properties and ensure the conservation of their Outstanding Universal Value.

43 COM 7.3 Other matters

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/7, WHC/19/43.COM/7A, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.3, WHC/19/43.COM/7B, WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add, WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add.2 and WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add.3,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7, adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018),

Management Plans in the context of urban development
Noting that the many Management Plans and management systems for urban properties are not adequately anchored in the legal mechanisms, systems, and processes for urban development,
Also noting that the pressures of high investment urban development projects in and around properties are increasingly a threat to their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and that in contrast, the OUV could provide a valuable opportunity for the property and its wider setting to define a new urban vision that integrates and valorizes the OUV with new needs and aspirations,
Recalling that the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape has highlighted the need for urban areas to be well integrated into their wider social, economic and cultural context, calls on all States Parties to prepare and deliver Management Plans, for properties in and around urban areas, so that their planning elements can be integrated directly into the planning and development policies, plans, processes and instruments; regardless of whether the property is inscribed for its urban values or not;
Requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to continue reflecting on the mechanisms and tools needed to assess and guide interventions in and around urban properties to sustain the OUV of the properties and to promote sustainable development and actively engage with the wider development processes that could over time impact the appearance, use, and meaning of buildings and spaces in properties and their settings;
Notes with appreciation the International Union of Architects Forum (UIA) on “Mass Tourism in Historic Cities”, which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 7-9 June 2019 and welcomes the proposal of the UIA to prepare, in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, guidelines for architectural competitions in and around World Heritage urban properties that will recognise their Outstanding Universal Value;
Welcomes the offer of the Government of Japan to host an international experts meeting in January 2020 to provide further guidelines for the integration of the assessment of the impacts for interventions in the wider processes of urban management by applying the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape to address the challenges of increased urbanization in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Calls on the UNESCO Secretariat to develop measures to address the inherently limited nature of institutional capacity in SIDS, acting as an impediment in identifying, inventorying and proposing potential cultural and natural heritage sites for listing;

Tourism
Acknowledging the contribution of sustainable tourism to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the positive impact it can have on local communities and the protection of World Heritage properties, nevertheless notes with concern that the number of properties negatively affected by overcrowding, congestion and tourism infrastructure development continues to increase;
Noting that the protection of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) must be a central objective for all World Heritage properties, requests States Parties to develop visitor management plans and strategies that address the seasonality of tourism (smoothing visitor numbers over time and spreading visitors across sites), encourage longer more in-depth experiences promoting tourism products and services that reflect natural and cultural values, and limit access and activities to improve visitor flows and experiences, while reducing pressures on the attributes which underpin OUV ;
Encourages the States Parties to support UNESCO in its efforts to assist heritage and tourism managers with system development and data collection to help destinations understand their specific situations and early warning signs, provide incentives for sustainable tourism development and raise awareness to change visitor behaviour;
Calls on UNESCO Secretariat to recognize opportunities for forging synergies between core UNESCO activities that could be harnessed to strengthen heritage sites: youth, heritage tourism training, sustainable heritage tourism and biodiversity, and relate it directly to SIDS;

Heritage Impact Assessments / Environmental Impact Assessments (HIAs/EIAs)
Notes the progress of revising the guidance on impact assessment for World Heritage undertaken by the ICCROM/IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme together with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS.

43 COM 7A.1 Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) (N 1167)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.40 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the progress achieved by the State Party on increasing patrols within the property to reduce poaching and illegal logging, and the commitment of the Provincial Government of Aceh to prioritize the prevention of further deforestation in the Aceh part of the Leuser Ecosystem;
Takes note of the Emergency Action Plan for Sumatran Rhino and guidebook for monitoring Sumatran Tiger but notes with concern the continued spatial limitation of the surveys that do not allow for comprehensive monitoring of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and requests the State Party to monitor range occupancy of the four key species (Sumatran Elephant, Tiger, Rhino and Orangutan);
Notes with significant concern the ongoing forest loss and strongly requests the State Party to scale up efforts to halt encroachment and to implement control measures to prevent further proliferation of the invasive species Merremia peltata while prioritizing increased patrolling, monitoring and forest restoration activities of ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife corridors, and road sides;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the 2018 forest cover data that will form the baseline for measuring progress towards achieving the indicator for the DSOCR, and to also report on the forest cover in the property, to allow a consistent comparison across the years;
Also welcomes the State Party’s commitment not to grant any permits for geothermal energy exploration inside the property, and encourages the State Party to legislate against possible future geothermal development proposals inside World Heritage properties;
Further requests the State Party to ensure that all planned projects or works are subject to Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) processes in conformity with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, with a specific section focusing on the potential impact of the project on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and that information about any planned projects is submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Notes that the State Party will consult the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to develop a proposal for a significant boundary modification to better reflect the OUV of the property and the modifications made to the national park boundaries via Ministerial Decrees;
Reiterates its concern that two road upgrade projects have been approved without the necessary EIA process and urges the State Party:

a) Not to start the construction of the Karo-Langkat road upgrade until an EIA, including an assessment of the OUV of the property, has been undertaken in consultation with IUCN,

b) To ensure that a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on the OUV for the Bukit Tapan road upgrade is undertaken and appropriate mitigation measures identified and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN prior to further construction taking place;
Requests furthermore the State Party to enhance the geographic coverage of patrols in the property, to expedite the boundary demarcation of the property to halt encroachment, and to continue implementing all other corrective measures;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to retain the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.2 East Rennell (Solomon Islands) (N 854)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.41, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the efforts made by customary landowners, local communities and the State Party to protect the property, in particular by not allowing commercial logging and mining within the property;
Regrets however that a logging concession has been granted up to 200 meters from the boundary of the property without assessing the impacts on its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and before an understanding of the ecological connectivity between East and West Rennell is available, requests the State Party to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for this project, and urges the State Party to closely monitor the situation, ensure that the boundary of the World Heritage property is clearly demarcated on the ground, and extend the buffer zone as new scientific information becomes available;
Notes that the letter submitted to the World Heritage Centre on behalf of the Tuhunui Tribe of East Rennell in May 2018, indicating their wish to withdraw its customary land from the World Heritage property, has been revoked, and also notes the competing claims of customary rights among tribes and individual households;
Welcomes the State Party’s effort to initiate dialogue with customary landowners and local communities concerning the 2010 Protected Areas Act, but also regrets that little progress has been made with the implementation of the commitments made by the State Party at the 2017 Round Table, including the finalization of a Management Plan, which was recommended by the Committee at the time of inscription in 1998, and also urges the State Party to include those commitments in the work plan and budget of relevant ministries;
Adopts the following corrective measures and also requests the State Party to implement them, as a matter of urgency, to strengthen the protection of the OUV and integrity of the property while enhancing livelihoods of local communities:

a) Adopt a new Cabinet Paper, prepared by the three Chairs of the 2017 Round Table, reconfirming the 2016 Cabinet Paper, reaffirming all Round Table Ministerial commitments for East Rennell and directing all ministries to provide a concrete timeline and budget for their implementation,

b) Ensure that the Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association (LTWHSA) can officially and immediately apply for National Protected Areas status for the World Heritage property in order to initiate the official consultation process by the Director of the Environment and Conservation Division, and to finalize the Management Plan (including zoning),

c) Ensure that the World Heritage property is actively promoted, including on the website of the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau and on all relevant maps and promotional leaflets, and immediately begin actively promoting appropriate tourism using existing accommodations and facilities;
Further requests the State Party to implement all other recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission, including:

a) Clarify the consent provision of the 2010 Protected Areas Act, particularly what concerns the ‘interested parties’ who would need to be involved in the process,

b) Provide the LTWHSA with the support needed to manage the World Heritage property to international standards,

c) Improve access to the property for tourists and local communities and improve access to basic services and facilities,

d) Prioritize the development of sustainable livelihoods for the local communities, recognizing the important role played by women in East Rennell, including through a development plan, and seek technical and financial support from the international community for this effort,

e) Ensure the Rennell-Bellona Constituency Development Fund reserves an allocation for East Rennell and its local communities,

f) Develop a scientific research programme at Lake Tegano, seeking support from the international research community and also incorporating traditional ecological knowledge,

g) Continue and expand the recently started bird monitoring program, and seek international support to mitigate the effects of invasive species,

h) Ensure that EIAs are carried out for all proposed developments within the property and its vicinity to guarantee that these do not have a negative impact on the OUV of the property,

i) Consider registering and surveying all lands under the Registration of Customary Lands Act, prioritizing the western shore of the lake, where most people live and where initial tourism lodges should be clustered,

j) Record and map local culture, traditional and living knowledge, customary governance, genealogies and language of the East Rennell communities,

k) Consider assessing, in the 2020 state of conservation report, whether the current timeframe for implementing the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) is realistic;
Notes with great satisfaction the substantial support that the States Parties of Australia and New Zealand provided to the Solomon Islands in an effort to prevent the Kangava Bay oil spill from reaching the property, and calls upon the ship owner and insurer of the MV Solomon Trader to cover all expenses of the ecological and socio-economical impacts;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to retain East Rennell (Solomon Islands) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.3 Everglades National Park (United States of America) (N 76)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 7A.1, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Welcomes the progress achieved in implementing the 2006 corrective measures and notes with satisfaction that their full operational benefits are expected to be in place by mid-June 2020, that water quality targets have already been met and that “supercolonies” of wading birds have returned to the property;
Commends the State Party for also implementing next generation restoration projects in order to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) by 2025-2026, and congratulates it for committing as much as USD 2.5 billion over four years to advance the restoration of the Everglades;
Notes with concern the ongoing threat from invasive alien species (IAS), and requests the State Party to ensure a continued, long-term allocation of resources to control the existing IAS inside the property, and for the mangement strategy to emphasize prevention and early detection with rapid response measures;
Appreciates that the General Management Plan (GMP) of the property aims to respond to the impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise, and reiterates its requests to the State Party to submit the GMP to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
Also recalling its established position on the incompatibility of oil and gas exploration and exploitation with World Heritage status, notes with utmost concern the prospect of exploratory drilling within the Water Conservation Areas located upstream of the property, and urges the State Party to ensure a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that assesses the possible impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is undertaken, in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to submit the EIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN as a matter of priority and before conducting any hydrocarbon drilling activities;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre about the potential for hydraulic fracturing projects in proximity of the property and the proposal of a utility transmission line along its eastern border;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to retain Everglades National Park (United States of America) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.4 Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) (N 196)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.3 and 42 COM 7A.44, adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Commends the State Party on the re-activation of the Ad-Hoc Committee dedicated to the management and protection of the property, as well as the Presidential Campaign “SOS Honduras: Stop the Destruction of Forests”;
Also commends the governmental and non-governmental partners on their continued support for the conservation of the property and progress made in land titling and granting negotiated local access to natural resources in the buffer and cultural zones of the Biosphere Reserve;
Notes with concern that the efforts to date have not resulted in significant progress towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and urges the State Party and governmental and non-governmental partners involved to ensure that the proposed activities match the scale and complexity of the well-documented challenges, in order to make progress towards the completion of the corrective measures and achievement of the DSOCR;
Welcomes the inclusion in the State Party’s Tentative List of Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve as a requirement for the planned Significant Boundary Modification of the property and strongly encourages the State Party to continue the proposal for a Significant Boundary Modification as a crucial step towards achieving the DSOCR, and in particular to:
a) Coordinate the many governmental sectors and institutions involved at various levels,
b) Seek support from the World Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies and other States Parties, as appropriate,
c) Ensure the full involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities as a core component of the proposal,
d) Guarantee full consideration of the archaeological heritage of the property and corresponding actors;
Reiterates its utmost concern that the State Party did not report on the possible impacts of the Patuca III (Piedras Amarillas) hydropower project, despite repeated requests, at a time when construction is reported to be ongoing or completed, and strongly requests the State Party to immediately report on the status of the project and how it will ensure that current and potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property are specifically assessed in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to retain Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.5 Manovo Gounda St. Floris National Park (Central African Republic) (N 475)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.45, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Regrets that the State Party was unable to implement the corrective measures proposed by the 2009 mission due to insecurity problems in the region controlled by armed groups since 2012;
Expresses its deepest concern as regards the conclusions of the 2019 mission according to which the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is highly questionable, indicating an almost total disappearance of large mammals, and that the integrity of the property is also questionable due to combined heavy pressure from poaching, regional transhumance, illegal fishing and artisanal mining exploitation, as well as a total lack of surveillance and management since 2012;
Takes note of the conclusion of the mission that at this stage, it is not possible to affirm that the OUV is irreversibly lost and that additional studies are necessary to qualify and quantify the relic populations of wildlife in order to assess the perspectives for regeneration of the characteristics of the property justifying its OUV;
Urges the State Party, with support from its technical and financial partners, to implement the following corrective measures, revised during the 2019 mission:
a) Define a priority zone in the property based on the monitoring results of wildlife,
b) Develop and implement before the next dry season an emergency security plan for this zone by reopening the surveillance bases, and the establishment of ground surveillance teams supported by an aerial surveillance system, as well as the establishment of legal procedures to halt all illicit exploitation of the natural resources in this zone, notably poaching, transhumance and illicit fishing and artisanal mining exploitation,
c) Set up a robust bio-monitoring mechanism for the large and medium-sized wildlife associated with a monitoring device (SMART) for patrols to precisely assess the viability and the potential for regeneration of the mammalian wildlife,
d) Implement, in cooperation with all the local, national and regional stakeholders, a management strategy for transhumance through the reopening of the legal transfer corridors outside the property,
e) Implement the existing regional agreements with Cameroon and Chad on anti-poaching and other transboundary criminal activities, such as the Transboundary Tripartite Anti-poaching Agreement and the “Ndjaména Declaration”, and afterwards extend them to Sudan and South Sudan for increased efficacy and coherence;
Congratulates the European Union for its continuous support in the conservation of the natural resources in the North-Eastern Protected Areas Complex and launches an appeal to the States Parties of the Convention and the public and private donors to support the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) agreement signed by the State Party with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for the management of the property and the implementation of the emergency plan;
Decides to grant a delay of 4 years to the State Party to see whether it is possible to restore the integrity of the property, collect additional data on the state of wildlife to assess whether a regeneration of the OUV is still possible, and requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission before its 48th session in 2024, to evaluate the results of both the implementation of the emergency plan and bio-monitoring;
Notes with concern the petroleum exploration activities in the petroleum block A and requests the State Party to:
a) Clarify the situation of the petroleum block A and the exploration blocks I, II and III and ensure that no license overlaps the property, in conformity with national legislation and the property’s World Heritage status,
b) Analyze the direct and indirect impacts on its OUV of all envisaged petroleum projects in the vicinity of the property, with an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in line with international standards and to submit this EISA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before granting any exploitation license, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Reiterates its established position regarding mining and petroleum exploration and exploitation being incompatible with World Heritage status, policy supported by the commitments undertaken by the leaders of the industry, such as Shell and Total, not to engage in such activities in World Heritage properties;
Also requests the State Party to carry out the ESIA for the rehabilitation project of the National Road 8 Ndél -Birao to assess the direct and indirect impacts on the property, prioritizing the less prejudicial option for its integrity, with appropriate accompanying measures, and to submit the ESIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, before taking a final decision on the project, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Also decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
Further decides to retain Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Central African Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.6 Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire/Guinea) (N 155bis)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.46, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Takes note of the conclusion of the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN mission of January 2019 that the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is still intact, but it remains threatened by increasing anthropogenic pressures, notably uncontrolled fires, poaching, the destruction of habitats and the increase in agricultural and forestry practices;
Notes with satisfaction the efforts deployed by the two States Parties to revitalize transboundary cooperation, initiate awareness-raising campaigns with the neighbouring communities, organizing surveillance patrols and ensuring ecological monitoring using the SMART tool, however, expresses once again its concern as regards the incessant threats affecting the property;
Regrets that no information has been provided by the State Party of Guinea on the mining projects of the Zali Mining SA (ex WAE) and SMFG Societies, both located in the vicinity of the property, and requests that the new Mining Convention between the SMFG and the Government be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before its signature, to ensure that its implementation will not impact on the OUV of the property;
Expresses its deep concern regarding the granting of an environmental conformity certificate and an exploitation license to the Zali Mining SA (ex WAE) for the mining block immediately adjacent to the property; and urges the State Party of Guinea to immediately withdraw this environmental conformity certificate and the exploitation license that has been granted, and that a revised version of the ESIA carried out in 2015 be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, before taking any new decision on the granting of an environmental conformity certificate;
Also takes note of the information provided by the State Party of Guinea that the new exploration license for the SAMA Resources is located outside the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone of the Biosphere Reserve and that an ESIA is ongoing to assess the impacts of the project, including on the OUV; and also requests the State Party to submit, as soon as available, the results of the ESIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before the granting of an environmental conformity certificate to this Society;
Reiterates its position, that mining exploration and exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, policy supported by the position statement of the International Council on Mines and Metal (CIMM) not to undertake such activities in World Heritage properties;
Adopts the following corrective measures, as updated during the 2019 mission, and further requests the States Parties to implement them:
a) Ensure that the current and future Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), (including those of the Zali Mining and SAMA Resources Societies), for mining projects located in the mining enclave and in the immediate vicinity of the property, be carried out in conformity with the highest international standards, submitted to an independent and expert evaluation, and in close consultation with all the key stakeholders,
b) Also ensure that these ESIA qualify and quantify the potential effects of these projects on the property, at each stage of their cycle, including construction and exploitation, taking account of their synergetic and collateral impacts, linked also to the transformation in situ of the iron-ore and its transportation, as well as to the socio-economic changes to be expected,
c) Submit these ESIA to the World Heritage Committee before any decision approving their conclusions and recommendations is taken,
d) Guarantee that no mining exploration or exploitation license encroaches on the property and that no new mining exploration or exploitation license located around the property is granted without a prior Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment and that it is submitted for prior advice to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN to evaluate the impacts, including synergetic impacts, of these projects,
e) Correct and establish the property boundaries on the ground in the strategic and vulnerable areas and submit an updated high-resolution map of the boundaries of the property to the World Heritage Committee,
f) In Guinea, ensure that the parts of the hevea plantation that encroach on the property be re-incorporated into the property and rehabilitated,
g) Strengthen the management capacity of the Centre for Environmental Management of Mount Nimba and Simandou (CEGENS) and the OIPR (Ivorian Office for Parks and Reserves) by: 1) providing a sustainable operating budget for the management of the site, and 2) increasing the capacity of the surveillance agents, their presence on the ground and their technical means, notably rolling stock and techniques, and control their efficacy,
h) Implement a functional buffer zone (or an equivalent measure) around the property, in collaboration with the local communities, to enable effective conservation of the OUV of the property by, for example, resorting to the establishment of communal forests,
i) Establish a harmonized ecological monitoring system between the CEGENS and the OIPR, in both parts of the property, to enable a better knowledge of the state and the evolving tendencies of the OUV of the property as a whole,
j) Together with the IUCN and the World Heritage Centre, identify a list of critical habitats and remarkable and/or flagship species to be the subject of more specific monitoring,
k) Finalize and implement the management plans of the parts of the property located in both countries, harmonized with that of the East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia, and prepare a master plan establishing a common vision for the whole property. This framework will serve public and private donors in conservation activities for the property and a sustainable socio-economic development of its periphery,
l) Establish a permanent funding mechanism for conservation actions for the property and the sustainable socio-economic development of its periphery, funded, among others, by contributions from the private sector, as the case may be;
Congratulates the two States Parties for funding obtained for improvement in the management of the property, and capacity-building of the staff, expresses its concern as to the lack of sustainable funding in support of the activities linked to transboundary cooperation, and reiterates its request to the States Parties to prepare a follow-up to the Nimba Project on the integrality of the property;
Also regrets that the widening and tarmacking project of the Danané – Lola road has begun without taking into account measures to mitigate the impacts of this project, expresses also its keen concern as to the impacts of this project on the OUV of the property and requests furthermore the State Party of Guinea to immediately undertake urgent measures to mitigate the impacts of this activity;
Requests moreover the States Parties to finalize, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, the proposed Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) developed during the 2019 mission, and to submit it for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to retain Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire,Guinea) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43 COM 7A.7 Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 136)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.7 and 42 COM 7A.47 adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the State Party’s continued efforts to further strengthen its anti-poaching measures, leading to the deployment of more than 200 guards as defined in the corrective measures adopted in 2016 and encourages the State Party to maintain antipoaching surveillance at these levels;
Also welcomes the decline in the number of poached elephant carcasses and other seized wildlife products in 2018, but notes that it will be important to confirm these positive trends over a longer timeframe;
Notes with appreciation the State Party’s effort to engage with Lantoto National Park and the Government of South Sudan, and requests the State Party to continue strengthening this cooperation to reduce the transboundary environmental criminal activities, such as poaching and illegal trans-border trade in wildlife products;
Also notes with appreciation the radio-collaring of four additional elephants and also requests the State Party to continue its efforts to enhance the monitoring and protection of this species;
Expresses again its deepest concern for the 48 remaining Kordofan giraffes in the property, a subspecies considered critically endangered, and reiterates its request to the State Party to continue the efforts of ecological monitoring and protection of this species, and further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the Strategy and Action Plan for the conservation of giraffes in the property, which has reportedly been finalized;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to provide an update on progress achieved towards developing a Buffer Zone for the property to strengthen the protection of its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Notes with concern the continued absence of a Management Plan for the property, urges the State Party to expedite the completion of the General Management Plan and submit a draft copy to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
Notes the State Party’s confirmation of the relocation of the refugee camps outside the property and encourages the Park Management authority to continue its efforts to mitigate the threats in and around the property;
Regrets once again that the State Party has still not submitted the finalized version of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and reiterates furthermore its request to the State Party to develop clear indicators for the recovery of key wildlife species populations based on the available data of the 2016 aerial survey and the monitoring system, in order to establish a realistic timeframe for a possible removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism to the property;
Also decides to retain Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.