World Heritage Centre

41 COM 2 Admission of Observers

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/2,
Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
Authorizes the participation in the 41st session, as observers, of the representatives of the 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 above-mentioned document.

41 COM 3A Provisional Agenda

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/3A,
Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.

41 COM 3B Provisional Timetable

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/3B,
Adopts the Timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.

41 COM 4 Report of the Rapporteur of the 40th Session of the World Heritage Committee (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016).

41 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, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/5A,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 5A 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 is 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/17/41.COM/5A;
Notes the results of expert meetings undertaken on criterion (vi) and on memory sites and their interpretation, thanks the authorities of Korea, Poland and Rwanda for organizing expert meetings and welcomes the financial support by the authorities of Germany and Korea for thematic studies on these topics;
Also welcomes the proactive role of the World Heritage Centre for enhancing the synergies among the Culture and Biodiversity-related Conventions and programmes and particularly, the integration of relevant synergies aspects in the revised Periodic Reporting format and the launch of a synergy-related web page on the Centre’s website;
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 42nd session, a report on its activities.

41 COM 5B Reports of the Advisory Bodies

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.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 of the challenges and gaps identified by the Advisory Bodies in the framework of the implementation of the Convention, in particular the concerns surrounding sustained funding of evaluation and monitoring activities;
Congratulates the Advisory Bodies for their efforts to mobilize additional financial resources and encourages them to continue in their endeavour;
Requests ICOMOS and IUCN to continue to engage in appropriate dialogue and consultation with States Parties to further enhance overall transparency and decision-making in the Committee.

41 COM 5C World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/5C,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 5C, 38 COM 5D, and 39 COM 5D, and 40 COM 5C, adopted respectively at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 38th (Doha, 2014) and 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) 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 by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in disseminating the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” and mainstreaming it into statutory processes, international policies and operational activities and requests that this effort be pursued;
Reiterates the need to achieve the right balance between environmental, social and economic sustainability, while fully respecting and protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
Underscores the important role and the contribution of the Convention towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal, Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage”;
Takes note of the support provided by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies to Members States in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and of the further work anticipated on developing indicators in this regard;
Also welcomes the work by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goal, Target 11.4. through an indicator that reflects the total amount per capita each country spends to protect their cultural and natural heritage, and invites UNESCO and all parties to identify and make visible the many ways in which the implementation of the World Heritage Convention contributes to achieving the SDGs, in particular SDG 11 for cultural sites and SDGs 14 and 15 for natural sites;
Calls upon States Parties to ensure that sustainable development principles are mainstreamed into their national processes related to World Heritage, in full respect of the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
Further calls on States Parties to support capacity-building programmes and activities aimed at providing methodologies and tools for integrating heritage conservation into sustainable development frameworks and mainstreaming the Sustainable Development approach in conservation and management activities;
Recalling Resolution 20 GA 13 and Decision 40 COM 12, and in view of the ever increasing urgency to balance sustainable development and implementation of the Convention at the site level, urges the World Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies to finalize a clear framework of the Policy Compendium for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
Commends the efforts undertaken by the State Party of Germany in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies concerning the operationalization of the World Heritage – Sustainable Development policy and calls for wider collaboration in consolidating these efforts;
Decides to inscribe an agenda item concerning World Heritage and Sustainable Development at its 43rd session in 2019 and also requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard.

41 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, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/6,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 6 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Commends the progress made in the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS), its accompanying World Heritage Capacity-Building Programme, and the capacity-building activities carried out in 2016 and in the beginning of 2017;
Also commends ICCROM for the presentation of the disaggregated statistics on the beneficiaries and impacts of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Programmes and encourages that this practice continue in future reports;
Notes with appreciation the committment of the Government of Norway to the six-year, World Heritage Leadership Programme, as well as the ongoing support for capacity building by the Government of Switzerland;
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 development 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 all Category 2 Centres related to World Heritage in implementing their activities and also calls on interested stakeholders to support these activities;
Requests the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM to submit a progress report on the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy and the activities of the Category 2 Centres related to World Heritage for examination by the Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.

41 COM 7 State of Conservation of the Properties Inscribed on the World Heritage List

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/7, WHC/17/41.COM/7A, WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add, WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/17/41.COM/7B and WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add and WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Thanks the State Party of Poland, Host Country of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee (Krakow, 2017), for having organized the first World Heritage Site Managers Forum, as a capacity-building exercise aiming at increasing the understanding of the World Heritage decision-making process among site managers, in order to achieve a more effective protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), takes note with appreciation of the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum Statement and encourages the future Host Countries to continue this initiative and organize World Heritage Site Managers Forums in conjunction with the World Heritage Committee session;

Statutory matters related to Reactive Monitoring
Takes note of the practices of the Secretariat to address mass campaigns on state of conservation issues;
Recalling the importance of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines and its adequate implementation, further recalls Decision 40 COM 7, which requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reactive Monitoring including procedures and case studies and to present a preliminary report for the consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018, if funds are available;

Emergency situations resulting from conflicts
Deplores the conflict situation prevailing in several countries, the loss of human life as well as the degradation of humanitarian conditions and expresses its utmost concern at the damage sustained and the threats facing cultural and natural heritage in general;
Urges 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 States Parties to adopt measures against using World Heritage properties for military purposes;
Takes note of the progress made by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to launch a reflection on a post-conflict recovery strategy, and of the support extended so far through technical assistance, capacity-building, and exchange of best practices in this regard, and recommends that further support for threatened or damaged World Heritage properties be pursued;
Notes with concern that the conflict situation in several countries in the world has increased considerably the workload of the World Heritage Centre staff, and that an adequate implementation of the Action Plans for the Emergency Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Mali, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen requires additional financial and human resources at the World Heritage Centre and in the UNESCO field offices; also notes the increased demands on the resources of the Advisory Bodies;
Calls on the international community to provide financial support for the implementation of the UNESCO Action Plans for the Emergency Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, including for additional human resources at the World Heritage Centre and in the UNESCO field offices;
Also expresses its utmost concern about the impacts of conflicts causing an escalation of the already severe poaching crisis, as armed groups are financing their activities through illegal wildlife trade, which is having a severe impact on African wildlife, and uncontrolled development, threatening the very survival of species and the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of natural World Heritage properties;
Launches an appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage objects (UNESCO 1970 Convention) and illegal wildlife trade, including through the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and to pursue the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding cultural heritage protection in conflict areas, especially Resolution 2199 and 2347;

Other conservation issues
Reconstruction
Noting the continued need to address the issue of reconstruction in World Heritage properties following conflicts or disasters, expresses its satisfaction that several international meetings have taken place or are being planned on recovery at large, and reconstruction in particular, and welcomes the offer of the Government of Poland to host an international conference on Reconstruction to provide guidelines to the World Heritage Committee to be held in Warsaw in March 2018;
Encourages the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to continue, with all relevant stakeholders, the reflection on reconstruction within World Heritage properties as a complex multi-disciplinary process, towards developing new guidance to reflect the multi-faceted challenges that reconstruction brings, its social and economic context, the short- and long-term needs of properties, and the idea of reconstruction as a process that should be undertaken within the framework of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the properties;
Urges States Parties to include risk mitigation measures in the management plans of World Heritage properties to address the potential effects of conflicts or disasters on their integrity;
Also encourages the inclusion of capacity-building initiatives in the framework of recovery plans;
Requests the States Parties involved in reconstruction projects to maintain dialogue and close consultation and cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;

Climate change
Recalls its Decision 40 COM 7 in relation to Climate Change, and requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to pursue the implementation of this Decision as a priority, within available resources;
Expresses its utmost concern regarding the reported serious impacts from coral bleaching that have affected World Heritage properties in 2016-17 and that the majority of World Heritage Coral Reefs are expected to be seriously impacted by Climate Change;
Noting that the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with IUCN, has initiated a scientific assessment by independent experts to better understand the impacts of Climate Change on coral reef World Heritage properties, also requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, as resources allow, to complete this assessment as soon as possible, and to ensure its findings are communicated effectively, and further requests the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies to further study the current and potential impacts of Climate Change on the OUV of World Heritage properties;
Reiterates the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and by pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change” and strongly invites all States Parties to ratify the Paris Agreement at the earliest possible opportunity and to undertake actions to address Climate Change under the Paris Agreement consistent with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances, that are fully consistent with their obligations within the World Heritage Convention to protect the OUV of all World Heritage properties;
Takes note with satisfaction of the updated UNESCO Strategy for Action on Climate Change, approved by the UNESCO Executive Board at its 201st session in April 2017 (201 EX/Decision 5.I.B), and invites all States Parties to engage fully with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, for its effective implementation;
Also recalls the need for all States Parties to continue, and where necessary to strengthen all efforts to build resilience of World Heritage properties to Climate Change, including by further reducing to the greatest extent possible all other pressures and threats, and by developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies for properties at risk of Climate Change impacts;
Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to report on progress in relation to action on World Heritage and Climate Change, and to present, subject to available time and resources, a proposed update to the “Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Properties”, for possible consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018, and notes with appreciation the willingness of civil society groups to engage in this process;

Urban pressure
Noting that the increasing urban pressure in and around numerous World Heritage properties has become a major threat to their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
Taking note of the outcomes of the Habitat III Conference and notably the adoption of the “New Urban Agenda”,
Also taking note of the necessity to pursue the application of the Historic Urban Landscape approach towards a more effective and durable conservation and management of the urban heritage inscribed on the World Heritage List, and requests the States Parties to fully consider the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) ;
Calls on States Parties to take into account the recommendations of the Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development and take the necessary measures to integrate the role of culture in sustainable urban development in order to achieve SDG 11 – Target 4;

Vandalism
Notes with concern increasing vandalism at World Heritage properties and encourages States Parties to improve monitoring and security measures as well as awareness raising on the detrimental effects of vandalism, and to consider introducing creative solutions to allow visitors to express themselves without leaving permanent marks or damage;

Disasters Risk Reduction
Welcomes the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for reinforcing UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict (hereafter the Strategy), adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015 (38 C/Res.48), whose implementation would be of great importance for the protection of World Heritage in situations of armed conflicts and disasters associated with natural and human-made hazards;
Encourages States Parties to provide support to the implementation of the Strategy and its Action Plan, including through contributions to the Heritage Emergency Fund, as well as in kind contributions and advocacy at the highest international levels for the integration of a concern for culture in key international humanitarian, development, and peacekeeping operations;

Invasive species
Recalling its Decision 39 COM 7, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
Noting with concern the continued threat posed by invasive alien species on natural World Heritage properties, strongly encourages the States Parties to develop adequately resourced invasive alien species strategies that emphasize prevention and early warning and rapid response in World Heritage properties;

Illegal trade of wildlife species
Reiterates its utmost concern about the continued impacts of poaching and illegal logging on World Heritage properties driven primarily by the illegal trade of wildlife species and its products, and requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to take action, as resources permit, to strengthen the collaboration between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the World Heritage Convention;
Reiterates its appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trade in wildlife and its products, including through the implementation of the CITES, and with the full engagement of transit and destination countries;

Integrated approaches for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage
Recalling that the World Heritage Convention explicitly links the concepts of cultural and natural heritage, highlights the importance of promoting integrated approaches that strengthen holistic governance, improve conservation outcomes and contribute to sustainable development;
Notes with appreciation the growing interest and efforts by the States Parties and heritage practitioners to develop and apply integrated approaches to conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and encourages the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in cooperation with universities and other relevant actors, to continue and expand these efforts, in accordance with the Policy Document for the integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the Convention (2015);

List of World Heritage in Danger
Reiterates its request to the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies and States Parties, to promote better understanding of the implications and benefits of properties being inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and to develop appropriate information material in this regard with a view to overcome the negative perceptions of the List of World Heritage in Danger. The information material should highlight the importance of the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value;

Other issues
Takes note with appreciation of the Chairperson of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee’s initiative on structured dialogue with civil society and encourages States Parties and civil society organizations to continue exploring possibilities how civil society can further contribute to enhanced conservation of heritage on the site and national level and provide relevant input to the heritage related debate at the global level;
Notes, in conformity with Resolution 20 GA 13 of the General Assembly of the World Heritage Convention and the Decision 39 COM 11 (Bonn, 2015) of the World Heritage Committee, the establishment of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on World Heritage as an important reflection platform on the involvement of Indigenous Peoples in the identification, conservation and management of World Heritage properties, with a particular focus on the nomination process.

41 COM 7A.1 Everglades National Park (United States of America) (N 76)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7A.17 and 40 COM 7A.50, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions respectively,
Notes with appreciation the continuous progress made by the State Party on the implementation of the corrective measures, but requests the State Party to accelerate its efforts towards the completion of the restoration projects that are vital to meeting the water quality and quantity targets, and that can secure the improvement of the ecological indicators for the integrity of the property;
Welcomes the approval of the General Management Plan and the start of its implementation, encourages the State Party to establish its Advisory Committee without delay, and also requests the State Party to provide an electronic and three printed copies of the General Management Plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
Notes with concern the negative effects of the 2015 El Niño event on the property as well as the continuously increasing abundance of invasive species both within the property and in its proximity, and strongly encourages the State Party to ensure the provision of all resources necessary for their successful containment, eradication, as well as preventing the introduction of any additional invasive alien species;
Also notes with concern the proposal of a utility transmission line along the eastern border of the property as well as the potential for hydraulic fracturing projects in proximity of the property, and further requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed of any development before making any decision that may be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and recalls its established position on the incompatibility of oil and gas exploration and exploitation with the World Heritage status of the property;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, 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 43rd session in 2019;
Decides to retain Everglades National Park (United States of America) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.2 Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize) (N 764)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.32, adopted at its 40th Session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Welcomes the progress achieved with the finalization of the Draft Forest (Protection of Mangroves) Regulations, and requests the State Party to finalize the legal drafting and adoption of the Regulations as a matter of priority and to submit the final legal document to the World Heritage Centre, as soon as it becomes available;
Also welcomes the commencement of the implementation of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZMP) and encourages the State Party to continue to ensure that the resources required for the long-term implementation of the Plan are secured;
Notes the progress achieved towards developing concrete regulations based on the Cabinet Decision to ban offshore petroleum exploration within the property, but reiterates its position that the adequacy of the one-kilometre buffer zone needs revision to secure the protection of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the full implementation of the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the exact maps of the areas where oil exploration will be prohibited by the proposed ban, as soon as they become available, and prior to completion of the legislation of the ban;
Taking note of the ongoing revision of the Petroleum Exploration Framework, reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that the protection of the property’s OUV is fully integrated into this process;
Also taking note of the confirmation by the State Party that the voluntary moratorium on sale and lease of lands within the property remains in place, notes with concern that the cartographic information provided by the State Party shows a high proportion of private land within the property, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to develop a legally binding instrument to ensure a permanent cessation of all sales and leases of state owned land throughout the property;
Further welcomes the ongoing revision of the Environmental Impact Assessment system and urges the State Party to fully integrate the protection of the property’s OUV into this process to ensure that the revised regulations guarantee that no areas within the property and in its immediate vicinity can be developed in ways that would negatively impact on its OUV, consistent with the requirements under the DSOCR;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to retain Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.3 Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) (N 196)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.33, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Commends the State Party and governmental and non-governmental partners on further progress made in integrated monitoring and granting negotiated local access to land and natural resources, and encourages the State Party and partners to continue and enhance these efforts;
Welcomes the State Party’s effort to accomplish an extensive titling process in favour of indigenous peoples that are settled within and beyond the limits of the property;
Notes the efforts made by the State Party in order to control illegal activities, however reiterates its concern that human, financial and logistical resources allocated by the State Party continue to be inadequate to address these challenges;
Recommends that the State Party maintain the overflights and ground level surveys to detect illegal activities and to detect illegal new settlements as early as possible to enable immediate responses, avoiding evictions after the full establishment of settlements;
Also encourages the State Party to further follow up on the conclusions and recommendations of the discussions facilitated by the provisions of the 2015 International Assistance, by continuing the consultation and negotiation process underpinning elaboration of a proposal for a significant boundary modification, which fully considers the interests, rights and aspirations of indigenous peoples, Afro-Honduran and Ladino (mestizo) communities, with the technical support of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, as required;
Considers that the significant boundary modification and the efforts to remove the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger are intricately linked and should be regarded and managed as one coherent effort;
Recalls its request to the State Party to report on the possible impacts of the Patuca III project, and requests the State Party to 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, and to ensure that the implementation of this project will not be permitted before this assessment is completed;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to retain Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.4 Manovo Gounda St. Floris National Park (Central African Republic) (N 475)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.34, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Welcomes the continued efforts of the State Party, with support from the ECOFAUNE+ and Central Africa Biodiversity Conservation Programme – Protecting Central Africa’s Elephants (CABPC – PCAE), for the progressive strengthening of the protection of the fauna and flora in the North-east part of the country, where the property is located, in particular as regards the fight against poaching and the mitigation of cross-border transhumance in cooperation with the States Parties of Cameroon, Sudan and Chad;
Notes with concern that cross-border transhumance, artisanal mining and insecurity continue to threaten the property;
Recalls that due to persistent insecurity and extremely significant pressures faced by the property, and in the absence of data allowing an analysis of the current situation, the perspectives for restoring the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property have been called into question for many years;
Also welcomes the planned organization of a workshop to develop an Emergency Action Plan for the property, as requested on several occasions by the Committee, and urges the State Party to undertake a feasibility study for the restoration of the OUV of the property before organizing this workshop;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, as soon as the security situation permits, to assess the state of conservation of the property and to determine whether there remain perspectives for the regeneration of the characteristics of the property justifying its OUV;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and on the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism to this property;
Also decides to retain Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Central African Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.5 Comoé National Park (Côte d’Ivoire) (N 227)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.35, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Commends the State Party for the efforts made in the implementation of the corrective measures and the significant progress made towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) since the normalization of the political situation in the country, including the establishment of a functional management body and a sustainable financing mechanism for the conservation of the property;
Considers that the DSOCR indicators for the integrity and management of the property have been fully achieved and even surpassed, and that the biological indicators have attained a satisfactory level of achievement;
Decides to remove Comoé National Park (Côte d'Ivoire) from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
Requests the State Party to continue and to consolidate the ecological monitoring activities and the inventorying of large fauna by strengthening the synergy and consistency of methodological approaches in order to confirm the maintenance of positive trends in the populations of key species;
Notes with appreciation the State Party's commitment to assess the potential impacts of the mining projects on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and also requests the State Party to submit the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before hard-to-reverse decisions are made regarding the licensing of these projects in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Notes with concern that gold panning persists in the property and further requests the State Party to take all appropriate measures to systematically eradicate this activity within the property and monitor its development around the property in collaboration with the technical services in charge of the mining sector;
Recognizing the significant efforts made by the State Party to address roaming of livestock in the property, notes the increase in this phenomenon in 2016, which appears to be linked to a particularly severe pre-harvest period, and urges the State Party to exclude livestock from the property by strengthening surveillance, awareness raising and agro-pastoral development activities, and by conducting a preliminary study of the potential impacts of these agro-pastoral developments on the OUV of the property;
Further requests the State Party to implement all other recommendations of the joint UNESCO / IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission of 2017;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, 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 43rd session in 2019.

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

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.36, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Notes with appreciation the continued actions by the States Parties to undertake anti-poaching patrols and ecological monitoring;
Noting that the borders between Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia have reopened, reiterates its request to the States Parties of Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea to implement a joint monitoring system of the property to control all anthropogenic pressures, and to collaborate with UNDP and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to develop the second phase of the Nimba Project, to concern the entire property, in order to promote the implementation of the corrective measures to safeguard the integrity of the property;
Welcomes the development of a protocol for collaboration of managers between Guinea and Liberia, and encourages all three States Parties, to consider extending this protocol to also include Côte d’Ivoire;
Requests the State Party of Côte d’Ivoire to provide further details on the decree for the redefinition of the boundaries, in order to confirm that it does not exclude degraded areas of the property;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party of Guinea to strictly ensure that the preparation of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the West Africa Exploration Company is in accordance with international standards as requested previously, and to submit this ESIA to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, before authorizing the project, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party of Guinea to develop a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in line with international standards, to qualify and quantify all the potential cumulative impacts of all planned mining projects in proximity to the property on its Outstanding Universal Value, in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and submit the report to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, before making any decision on these projects, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Reminds the State Party of Guinea of its position regarding the fact that mining exploration and exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, policy supported by the declaration of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) not to undertake such activities in World Heritage properties, and also requests the State Party to continue its efforts in order to ensure that no mining will be permitted outside the boundaries of the property if it could have a negative impact on OUV;
Further requests the States Parties, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, to prepare a Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and the corresponding set of indicators;
Requests furthermore the State Party of Guinea to submit a map of the revised boundaries of the exploration permit granted to SAMA Resources Company in relation to the property;
Requests moreover the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, a joint 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to retain Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

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

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Welcoming the meetings held between the States Parties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda to discuss the threat of poaching on the property and insecurity in the region, encourages all four States Parties to continue the ongoing dialogue for the improvement of security in the region;
Invites the Director-General of UNESCO to call on the State Party, as well as neighbouring States, in particular Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda, to ensure that military operations in the region do not impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and to organize, in cooperation with United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), a high-level meeting between the above-mentioned States Parties and other potential stakeholders on how to improve security in the region and address the poaching issue;
Commends the State Party on its continued anti-poaching efforts, notes with appreciation that there were no reported case of Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) personnel involvement in poaching in the reporting period and encourages the State Party to continue to pursue all its efforts to combat poaching at the regional level;
Reiterates however its deepest concern over continued insecurity around the property and on-going poaching pressure from the international ivory trade, and the fact that current estimates put the elephant population at 1,200, which represents a further decline from the 1,500 elephants estimated to remain in 2015, and reiterates its appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade, including through the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with the full engagement of transit and destination countries;
Notes with significant concern the loss of three giraffes as a result of poaching from a population of approximately only 40 individuals that remain in the whole of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which are restricted to the property, and welcomes the planned radio-collaring of giraffes and more elephants;
Noting that 20% of the property’s surrounding hunting areas are being patrolled, encourages the State Party to maintain an effective year-round surveillance of at least 50% of the hunting areas, in addition to the full coverage of the property;
Requests the State Party to provide an update on progress achieved towards establishing a conservation strategy for the hunting areas and developing a Buffer Zone for the property to strengthen the protection of its OUV;
Appreciates the progress made in developing the park’s infrastructures and the further planned developments to facilitate efficient protection and management of the property;
Regrets that the State Party did not submit the final version of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) as requested by the Committee, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit it to the World Heritage Centre, as soon as possible, and at the latest by 1 February 2018, for adoption by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
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.

41 COM 7A.8 Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 137)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Addresses its most sincere condolences to the families of the guards killed in the line of duty and to all the staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN);
Notes with satisfaction the evacuation of the armed groups, the recovery of control of the posts and the deployment of guards in the lowlands, and encourages the State Party to continue its surveillance efforts to combat illegal activities (mines and poaching);
Also notes with satisfaction the recruitment and training of new guards and the infrastructures established to strengthen surveillance and, furthermore, also encourages the State Party to deploy personnel in all the sectors of the property to ensure an effective surveillance;
Expresses again its utmost concern as regards the conclusions contained in the report of Wildlife Conservation Society/ Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation/Fauna and Flora International report indicating that the Grauer’s gorillas population has recorded a decrease of an estimated 77% since 1994 and emphasizes the crucial importance of increasing efforts to protect the great apes, to ensure their survival, as well as the other flagship species of the property, including the elephant and chimpanzee ;
Notes with concern that the mining, hunting and associated illegal trade of bush meat are the most serious threats for the habitat of the gorillas and other species and urges the State Party to close down all the remaining mines in and around the property and to ensure that they are not reoccupied, to urgently take measures to halt the consumption and commerce of bush meat and to concentrate its action on the halt of illegal commerce of great apes;
Takes note of the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission that took place in 2017 and requests the State Party to implement the corrective measures, as updated by the mission, from the current date until 2020:
1. Pursue the evacuation of armed groups, close down all the artisanal quarry mines both inside and around the property, and terminate the illicit traffic of the natural resources, including wildlife poaching, and more particularly the great apes,
2. Strengthen the anti-poaching combat and continue the joint patrols with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and enforce the law in collaboration with the legal authorities,
3. Continue recruitment and training of qualified staff, motivated and well equipped and deploy teams in all the posts of the property,
4. Pursue efforts to implement the recommendations resulting from the “National Forum for Governance and Enhancement of the Property” (April 2015) to resolve the issues of illegal occupation and evacuate the ecological corridor, and take the necessary measures to limit the impacts of encroachment, restore the vegetation and the connectivity between the lowlands and the highlands,
5. Maintain an efficacious surveillance coverage, throughout the year, of at least 60% of the property by increasing the scope and frequency of the patrols and provide the technical and financial resources to the management authority, to attain this objective,
6. Continue to develop the infrastructures of the Park and to acquire the necessary equipment to enable an efficient protection and management of the property,
7. Continue and strengthen the activities for the economic development of the local communities to reduce their dependence on the resources of the Park and support conservation efforts, including the continued implementation of the “Community Conservation Strategy” and the “local development plans” in all the chiefdoms of the property,
8. Complete the participative marking process and undertake a socio-economic study in the lowlands (Nzovu sector) to assess human presence in this sector,
9. Work for the sustainable funding of the management of the Park;
Also encourages the State Party to request International Assistance from the World Heritage Fund before 31 October 2017, to develop indicators for the draft Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), as soon as the final results of the wildlife inventory are available ;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism;
Also decides to retain Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.9 Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 718)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 7A.41 and 40 COM 7A.39, adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions respectively,
Expresses its deepest concern over continued insecurity around the property, especially in the south, that has led to a reported decrease in surveillance coverage in the reporting period;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to prioritize efforts to further expand the patrol coverage and regain control of the property to halt poaching and the deterioration of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including through the recruitment of additional guards and the adequate provision of financial and material resources;
Welcomes the initiation of joint operations between the Congolese Institute for Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) to patrol targeted areas within the property using SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) technology;
Appreciates the closure of the RN4 road at night to reduce traffic within the property, but requests the State Party to monitor compliance and effectiveness, and to implement additional mechanisms to further mitigate the impacts of road use, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to evaluate the impacts of the increasing local populations on land use around the villages along the RN4;
Reiterating its concern about rebel groups encouraging the reopening of artisanal mining sites, and that the cause of increasing immigrants in the villages along the RN4 is closely linked to mining, also requests the State Party to provide an update on the measures taken to mitigate the threat, and further reiterates its request to the State Party to provide information on the remaining mining permits overlapping with the property and to ensure their cancellation;
Also appreciates the establishment of integral conservation zones in the property but notes with concern the extended delay in finalizing the Management Plan for the property and further requests the State Party to expedite its finalization rapidly;
Requests furthermore the State Party to provide details on the data collected through the application of the SMART technology in order to enable an assessment of the illegal activities and poaching/wildlife trade, and their impacts on the OUV of the property and an assessment of progress achieved towards the targets defined in the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
Also decides to retain Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.10 Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 280)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7A.7 and 40 COM 7A.40, adopted at its 36th (Saint-Petersburg, 2012) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the establishment of a new Rapid Intervention Force and a Rapid Response Team to further strengthen the State Party’s efforts to effectively address poaching, and also welcomes the increase in surveillance coverage to 60% of the property;
Takes note of the preliminary findings of the inventory of flagship species, including bonobos and elephants, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit the full findings of the inventories for all flagship species to the World Heritage Centre, as soon as they become available, and based on the results, to also submit an updated Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), which quantifies the indicators, for examination by the World Heritage Committee;
Requests the State Party to provide details of the reported ‘demographic explosion’ in the corridor, comprising of its potential causes, proposed measures to address them and the impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including on the ‘sustainable conservation zones’ that have been identified by the State Party to be of particular importance in the ecological corridor to link the two components of the property;
Noting with appreciation the State Party’s intention to undertake a biological inventory in 2017 to assess the ecological connectivity between the two components of the property, also requests the State Party to submit the findings to the World Heritage Centre once they are available;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to consider further options to improve the connectivity between the ‘sustainable conservation zones’ and the southern component of the property, and further requests the State Party to consider the findings of the above-mentioned biological inventory in reviewing the plan for the Multiple Use Zone;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party to urgently clarify its expression of interest in oil exploration and exploitation in the Central Basin, which includes the property, as communicated to the 2012 mission, and reiterates its position that oil and gas exploration or exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, which is supported by the commitments made by industry leaders such as Shell and Total not to undertake such activities within World Heritage properties;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism to the property;
Also decides to retain Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41 COM 7A.11 Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 63)

wh-support@unesco.org — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 00:00:00 EST

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.41, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Addresses its most sincere condolences to the families of the guards killed in the exercise of their duties and to all the staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN);
Warmly welcomes the joint operations between ICCN and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the increase in the number of guards to ensure an adequate surveillance of the property, but expresses its utmost concern regarding the continued insecurity in some sectors of the property, that has caused a decrease of surveillance coverage over the period under consideration and an increase in illegal activities (poaching, illicit fishing and production of charcoal) threatening the integrity of the property;
Regrets that the State Party has not confirmed its commitment to not authorise new petroleum explorations and exploitations within the boundaries of the property and reiterates its position according to which all mining, petroleum and gas exploration and exploitation activities are incompatible with World Heritage status, a policy supported by commitments undertaken by the leaders of industry, such as Shell and Total, not to undertake such activities in World Heritage properties;
Recalling that the importance of Lake Edward is evoked in many instances in the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, considers that any activity linked to petrol in the Lake Edward region is highly likely to damage the OUV of the property and including its integrity through negative impacts on the transborder waters;
Reiterates its request to the Ugandan State Party not to grant a petroleum exploration permit for the Ngaji block and urges the States Parties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to strongly commit to not authorizing any petroleum exploration or exploitation in the Lake Edward region;
Notes with satisfaction the progress achieved concerning the combat against encroachment, and that the encouraging results demonstrate an increase in the resident mountain gorilla population, the hippopotamus as well as the stabilization of elephant poaching and welcomes the efforts of the “Virunga Alliance” in carrying out sustainable development activities to improve the life of local communities;
Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to assess the state of conservation of the property, update the corrective measures, prepare a timetable for their implementation and finalize the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, 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 42nd session in 2018;
Decides to continue to apply the reinforced monitoring mechanism;
Also decides to retain Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.