1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/2.Rev,
2. Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
3. Authorizes the participation in the extended 45th 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 present document.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/3A,
2. Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/3B,
2. Adopts the timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.

1. Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (Fuzhou/online, 2021).

1. Having examined Document WHC2345.COM5A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 5A and 44 COM 5A adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhouonline, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. 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”;
4. Takes note with concern of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on World Heritage and commends the Secretariat for the responses to this extreme situation;
5. Welcomes the continued efforts of the World Heritage Centre to collaborate and enhance synergies among UNESCO’s Culture conventions and the Biodiversity-related conventions and programmes; and reiterates its requests to further strengthen this collaboration, such as done with the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), including on the most critical issues of our times such as climate change and the loss of natural and cultural diversity;
6. Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre on the assessment of climate change impacts on World Heritage and invites States Parties to support the Secretariat through additional voluntary contributions and technical expertise for the implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation actions within World Heritage properties;
7. Thanks all the States Parties that generously supported financially and/or in kind both the activities towards the implementation of the Convention, as well as the reinforcement of the human resources of the World Heritage Centre, and invites other States Parties to continue providing such support and increase it where possible;
8. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a report on its activities based on the five Strategic Objectives set by the World Heritage Committee (‘5Cs’) under Item 5A, for examination at its 46th session, and a result-based report on the Thematic Programmes under Item 5A, for examination at its 47th session;
9. Takes note with satisfaction of the activities carried out around the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and encourages the Secretariat to regularly share updates on its implementation in support of the World Heritage Convention.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5B,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 5B, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Mindful of the efforts undertaken by the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN) to respond to the exceptional situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the efforts of ICOMOS to improve the geographical balance of its evaluation panels;
4. Reiterating the importance of transparency and publishing principles and criteria for selection of experts to missions, evaluations and panels, as well as strengthening efforts to enhance dialogue and provision of early advice to States Parties, and to achieve better regional representation and take into consideration the divergence of the expertise views based on profession, geographical and cultural perspectives,
5. Takes note with appreciation of the reports of the Advisory Bodies on their activities;
6. Also takes note with appreciation of the continued contributions of Advisory Bodies, including financial and in-kind contribution, to ensure the proper implementation of the decisions of the World Heritage Committee as well as the proper implementation of the World Heritage Convention,
7. Further 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, and the range of issues reported by the Advisory Bodies that continue to require action and attention.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5C,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 5C adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), in which the World Heritage Centre was requested to present a progress report on Priority Africa in line with the Medium-Term Strategy 2022-2029 and Programme and Budget for 2022-2025,
3. Also recalling Decisions 44 COM 10A, and 44 COM 10B adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
4. Notes with appreciation the continued efforts of the UNESCO Member States and the adoption of the Operational Strategy for Priority Africa 2022-2029, and in particular, its Flagship Programme 3 on “Fostering Cultural Heritage and Capacity Development”, for the conservation and management of the unique biodiversity and rich cultural heritage of Africa that must be transmitted to future generations, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063;
5. Expresses its appreciation for the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre along with UNESCO Field Offices, the Advisory Bodies, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), and other partners in developing the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa, and to all those involved in the consultation process and the working group;
6. Endorses the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa as an implementation plan of Main Objective 1 of Flagship Programme 3 of the Operational Strategy for Priority Africa 2022-2029 composed of three guiding principles, five pillars and seven priorities identified by the States Parties following a broader consultation process that involved African States Parties, national focal points, World Heritage site managers and experts;
7. Encourages States Parties to appropriate the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa in line with the Regional Action Plans into their national, subregional and regional heritage strategies, and aligned with the results of the reflections during the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 Convention in Yaoundé (Cameroon) (‘Yaoundé Call to Action’) and in Delphi (Greece) and requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, with the support of all partners to support States Parties in its implementation;
8. Thanks the Governments of China, Flanders (Belgium), France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Sultanate of Oman and the European Union for their financial support to implement activities that will contribute to meeting the targets of the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa and encourages other States Parties to contribute financially to its implementation;
9. Recognizes that the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa needs to be fully funded and requests the Secretariat to fundraise resources required for the implementation of the Strategy;
10. Calls upon the entire international community, including the Group of Friends for Priority Africa, to provide support to African States Parties in the implementation of the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa and of Flagship Programme 3, and to attain its targets, notably:
    1. to assist 12 African States Parties not yet represented on the World Heritage List in developing a nomination (see footnote 9 of the Strategy),
    2. to provide support to properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger in establishing a Desired state of conservation for their removal from this list (DSOCR),
    3. to increase the number of African heritage experts working in the World Heritage system and enhance the role of African universities to be involved in World Heritage processes,
    4. to operationalize the pan-African network of site managers,
    5. to develop projects on entrepreneurship and the use of new and innovative technologies,

    
    and welcomes the commitment and support of the AWHF to assist the African States Parties to this end;

11. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM, the UNESCO Chairs and UNESCO category 2 centres related to World Heritage and other capacity building partners, to implement the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa and the implementation of Main Objective 1 of Flagship Programme 3, and prepare a progress report towards this end in line with the Medium-Term Strategy 2022-2029 and Programme and Budget for 2022-2025 for examination by the Committee at its 46th session.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5D,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 5D adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), as well as Resolution 20 GA 13 adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
3. Also recalling Decision 35 COM 12E that the World Heritage Committee specifically encourages the effective and equitable involvement and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of World Heritage properties and the respect of indigenous peoples’ rights in nominating, managing and reporting on World Heritage properties in their own territories;
4. Recalls that the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001) designates that the defence of cultural diversity implies a commitment to human rights that is also included in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and also recalls the UNESCO Policy on Engaging with Indigenous Peoples that underlines UNESCO’s commitment to promote the human rights-based approach in the implementation of its normative instruments including the 1972 Convention;
5. Welcomes the progress made so far in the development of tools to support the implementation of the “Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention” (WH-SDP) into activities of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, including through the World Heritage Leadership Programme at national and local levels and encourages States Parties to support their development and implementation in and around World Heritage properties, also welcomes the synergies evident in the consolidated report of the Third Member State Consultation on the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011 Recommendation), with the WH-SDP in view of advancing sustainable urban development and climate resilience in and around World Heritage properties in cities and settlements;
6. Acknowledges the importance of practical strategies and best practices to support the operationalization of the WH-SDP as well as capacity building for it, and invites States Parties to support the Secretariat’s and the Advisory Bodies’ efforts to gather, analyze, and share information on good practices and innovative solutions integrating heritage conservation with sustainable development;
7. Also takes note of the progress made towards the collection of quality data related to cultural and natural heritage in line with the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration, including with the implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators to support evidence-based policies and actions in line with the 1972 World Heritage Convention;
8. Notes with appreciation the collaboration of UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies with the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on World Heritage (IIPFWH), welcomes their intent to co-organise with UNESCO, working with the Advisory Bodies and other partners, in early 2024, an international expert workshop on the recognition and respect for the heritage values of indigenous peoples within the framework of the World Heritage Convention and invites States Parties to contribute financially towards this event and requests the Secretariat to include a report on it at its 46th session;
9. Requests the States Parties to implement the WH-SDP systematically in and around World Heritage properties, ensuring that sustainable development objectives are mainstreamed into their management plans and conservation actions for the World Heritage properties, and to integrate heritage conservation into national and local plans, policies, processes to advance sustainable development;
10. Also requests the World Heritage Centre to continue to pursue, within the available resources, the development of activities including policies, tools, guidance, and communication towards operationalising the WH-SDP supporting States Parties in its implementation while protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
11. 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 including the development of tools and guidance by the World Heritage Centre with the Advisory Bodies;
12. Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report in this regard at its 47th session.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/6,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 6 and 44 COM 6, adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the progress made by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, the States Parties, the category 2 centres under the auspices of UNESCO related to World Heritage, as well as the UNESCO Chairs with the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS), and notably the efforts to maintain and adapt capacity-building activities during the global COVID-19 pandemic;
4. Takes note of the progress made with the implementation of the regional and thematic capacity-building strategies and initiatives, the role of the regional category 2 centre in supporting the implementation of the Regional Action Plan for Africa (2021-2027) and calls upon States Parties and all concerned partners and stakeholders, including the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN), to support and follow up on the implementation of the strategies and initiatives developed for each regional and thematic area;
5. Thanks the Governments of Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Switzerland for the continued financial support they extended to the WHCBS and the World Heritage Leadership Programme, also thanks the States Parties of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, France and the Sultanate of Oman for supporting World Heritage capacity-building activities, notably in the Africa region, and further thanks those States Parties who have contributed to the African World Heritage Fund, including Norway, South Africa, Uganda, Mauritius, Namibia, Germany, Burkina Faso, Azerbaijan, Serbia, France, United Arab Emirates and Rwanda;
6. Encourages States Parties and other stakeholders to continue supporting the implementation of the WHCBS by providing financial support and/or reinforcing the human resources of the institutions involved;
7. Recalls that category 2 centres and UNESCO Chairs have the mandate of contributing to the implementation of the Organization’s strategic priorities, programmes and global development agendas, notably through capacity building, welcomes the progress made by category 2 centres and UNESCO Chairs in the field of World Heritage, and encourages States Parties to make full use of the services and resources that category 2 centres and UNESCO Chairs provide, in a spirit of international cooperation;
8. Commends the organisation of the 8th Coordination Meeting of the World Heritage-related category 2 centres, hosted by the International Centre for the Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites (Republic of Korea), takes note of the “Sejong Declaration of Understanding and Cooperation among UNESCO Category 2 World Heritage Centres” adopted on this occasion, and notes with thanks that the Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas (Mexico) has expressed its intention to organise the 9th edition of the Coordination Meeting;
9. Expresses again its gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing the financial support required to carry out the independent evaluation of the WHCBS;
10. Takes note of the independent evaluation of the WHCBS, initiated through cooperation between UNESCO, ICCROM, IUCN and ICOMOS and carried out by the E.C.O. Institute for Ecology, and endorses its conclusions and recommendations;
11. Welcomes the involvement of an Evaluation Reference Group composed of interested Committee members, States Parties and other key capacity-building actors in the evaluation of the WHCBS and the development of guidelines for the planned update of this Strategy, and thanks the numerous States Parties that actively participated in the evaluation process at the site, national and (sub-)regional levels;
12. Invites all States Parties to provide dedicated voluntary contributions under the World Heritage Fund and/or extra-budgetary support to the World Heritage Centre for capacity building, since the Evaluation has further demonstrated the need to enhance capacity building and highlighted the lack of dedicated funding for capacity-building activities under the World Heritage Fund thus far;
13. Reiterates its appeal to States Parties to contribute financial resources for the update of the WHCBS through earmarked contributions to the World Heritage Fund or by providing extra-budgetary support to the World Heritage Centre and the World Heritage-related category 2 centres for this purpose;
14. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with ICCROM, IUCN and ICOMOS, to develop a new World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy for the decade 2025-2035, including clear priorities, strategic objectives, expected outputs and outcomes, relying on the outcomes of the independent evaluation of the WHCBS and the guidelines developed by the Evaluators for this purpose, and taking into account the results of the Periodic Reporting process, to be presented for review at its 47th session, if funding allows;
15. Further requests the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM to submit a progress report on the World Heritage-related capacity building activities and the revision of the WHCBS, for examination at its 46th session;
16. Mindful that contributions by category 2 centres to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention are not confined to capacity building, finally requests the category 2 centres to submit a progress report on all the activities concerning the implementation of the World Heritage Convention by the World Heritage-related category 2 centres, presented as a specific agenda item during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee.

Climate Action for World Heritage

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7 and 44 COM 7C adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Notes that the Panel of experts in relation to Decision 44 COM 7C concerning climate change and World Heritage met by end of March 2022 and made recommendations on the amendments proposed by the Members of the World Heritage Committee and provided a report to the Open-ended Working Group of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention on Climate Change;
4. Also notes that the Open-ended Working Group of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention on Climate Change has met seven times to discuss the proposed amendments and the recommendations of the Panel of experts;
5. Recognizes Climate Action for World Heritage as an important thematic area of work, thanks the Governments of Australia, Azerbaijan and the Netherlands for their generous financial support and invites States Parties to contribute towards this thematic area to enable the Secretariat to support activities related to the development of the updated Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage and its dissemination;
6. Recalls again Decision 41 COM 7 in which the Committee ‘reiterate[d] the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement adopted under 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” ’, again strongly urges all States Parties 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 Outstanding Universal Value of all World Heritage properties;

    

   Improving the perception of the List of World Heritage in Danger

7. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
8. 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,
9. Takes note with appreciation of the thorough study on the perceptions of the List of World Heritage in Danger, together with its recommendations that could form the basis of a communication strategy and thanks the State Party of Norway for its financial support;
10. Expresses its gratitude to all the stakeholders of the 1972 World Heritage Convention who have actively contributed to this study;
11. Takes note with satisfaction of the recommendations formulated in the study on possible approaches to reverse negative perceptions and to raise the profile of the List of World Heritage in Danger as a positive tool, enhancing understanding and highlighting its importance for the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties and requests all stakeholders of the Convention to take them on-board and implement them at their level as soon as possible;
    

    
    Enhancing dialogue among States Parties, Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre
    

12. Recommends that the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies ensure the following steps regarding the monitoring of state of conservation of the inscribed properties:
    
    1. Whenever an expert mission takes place within the framework of the reactive monitoring process, the draft mission report will be shared, prior to its publication, with the concerned State Party to allow them to review the report and to propose corrections on any factual inaccuracies and comment on other critical issues and/or misunderstandings, and consultations will be held, if necessary, between the concerned State Party and relevant Advisory Body/ies;
    2. Whenever an expert mission takes place within the framework of the reactive monitoring process and the inscription of the concerned property on the List of World Heritage in Danger is recommended in the mission report, consultations will be held between the concerned State Party and relevant Advisory Body/ies, and the State Party’s view will be referred to in the mission report or in its annex in the event that the views of both parties do not converge in the consultations;
    3. Whenever the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger is proposed in a working document on state of conservation produced by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to be examined by the Committee, consultations will be held, within the available deadlines, prior to the distribution of the document, between the concerned State Party, relevant Advisory Body/ies and the World Heritage Centre, and the State Party’s view will be referred to in the working document such as in its annex in the event that the views of the concerned parties do not converge;
13. Recommends that States Parties enhance dialogue among themselves regarding properties that are or may be proposed for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in particular cases in which causes of the danger are transboundary;
14. Recommends that the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies continue to work on knowledge sharing of best practice cases in which the property was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and also encourage them to enhance providing capacity building for the States Parties who have properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
15. Recommends that the budget of the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies be adjusted in proportion with the additional workload generated by the additional dialogue and consultations as well as for capacity building for States Parties with properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7, 43 COM 7.2, and 44 COM 7.2 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Also recalling that all proposed major interventions in and around World Heritage properties should be subject to rigorous impact assessments, as outlined in Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and that both the proposals and the impact assessment-related documentation be submitted, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any intervention for new construction, demolition, modification, recovery or reconstruction commences or decisions made that cannot be reversed;

    

   Emergency situations resulting from conflicts

4. Expresses utmost concern that conflicts (including armed conflict and civil unrest) continue to represent a major threat to World Heritage properties and remain one of the major reasons for the inscription of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
5. Regrets the loss of human life and the degradation of humanitarian conditions resulting from the prevailing conflict situations in several countries, including threats to the personnel and local communities, as well as the continuing threats facing cultural and natural heritage in regions of armed conflict where there are significant concerns regarding security in and around World Heritage properties;
6. Welcomes protection and conservation efforts being undertaken by the concerned States Parties at World Heritage properties and that the States Parties are progressively proceeding with the development of corrective measures and the definition of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the properties from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) for some cultural properties following due process;
7. Urges again all parties associated with conflicts to ensure the protection of cultural and natural heritage, including to avoid their use for military purposes and also urges States Parties to fulfil their obligations under international law, including the 1954 Convention and its two Protocols, by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage, including of World Heritage properties and sites included in Tentative Lists;
8. Reiterates its utmost concern about the continuing threats of wildlife poaching and illegal trafficking of wildlife and timber products linked to impacts of armed conflict and organized crime, which is eroding the biodiversity and Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties around the world, and further 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);
9. Also reiterates its utmost concern at the increase in illicit trafficking of cultural objects, resulting from armed conflicts, and appeals to all States Parties to cooperate in the fight against these threats, and for cultural heritage protection in general, including through the ratification of the 1970 Convention and the 1954 Convention and its two Protocols, as well as the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2199 (2015), 2253 (2015) and 2347 (2017), and the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendations on Museums and Collections (2015);
10. Welcomes the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies’ continued actions in responding to emergencies and conflicts threatening cultural and natural heritage, including the Outstanding Universal Value, including through the Revive the Spirit of Mosul and the Li Beirut initiatives, the Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) and the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) and also UNESCO actions in Ukraine and emergency programmes in Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Central African Republic, Palestine, and other countries;
11. Reiterates its call 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 World Heritage Fund, HEF and RRF;

    Recovery and Reconstruction

12. Recalls that reconstruction is justifiable only in exceptional circumstances, and should be based on thorough documentation, guided by conservation plans and policies that support the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and as outlined in Paragraph 86 of the Operational Guidelines;
13. Takes note of the various programmes initiated and implemented by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and other international partners to respond to the destruction of heritage through documentation, emergency response, recovery and reconstruction;
14. Welcomes the continued efforts by States Parties in responding to post-conflict and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, including the various reconstruction projects nearing completion, as well as their positive social and community interlinkages and thanks France, Germany, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union, the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), the Heritage Emergency Fund and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) for their generous support, including for the reconstruction of the House of Wonder, an emblematic building in East Africa, in the Stone Town of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania;
15. Encourages all State Parties to prepare comprehensive risk preparedness strategies and emergency response plans for World Heritage properties that are exposed to risk from natural disasters;
16. Requests States Parties to ensure the integrity of the OUV of World Heritage properties and that all recovery and reconstruction projects be guided by thorough and comprehensive recovery proposals, including plans and drawings, integrated and aligned with the needs of local communities and subject to rigorous impact assessments as noted in Paragraph 3 above;

     

    Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

17. Welcomes the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2022 to set the global pathway to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
18. Requests the States Parties to fully harness the World Heritage Convention in supporting the goals and targets of the GBF, including through effective collaboration among convention focal points, and by integrating World Heritage-related objectives within their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs);
19. Also requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to identify and develop coordinated actions on World Heritage and the GBF, including specific guidance on how the World Heritage Convention might contribute to the aims of the Joint Programme of Work on the Links between Biological and Cultural Diversity, subject to the availability of resources, and to integrate reporting on progress regarding contributions of World Heritage to the GBF under the Committee’s item on Sustainable Development and invites States Parties to contribute financially for this purpose;

     

    Urban pressure

20. Notes that pressures on historic urban areas arising from inappropriate urban development interventions and inadequate development controls, rapid and inadequately planned development, including large development projects, additions that are incompatible in their volume, tourism and transportation infrastructure, as well as the accumulated impact of incremental changes, have continued within numerous World Heritage properties and in their buffer zones and settings, and considers that these present significant potential and ascertained major threats to the Outstanding Universal Value of properties, including their integrity and authenticity, and increase their vulnerability to disasters, such as those resulting from climate change;
21. Also noting that the findings of the UNESCO Third Member State Consultation on the Implementation of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011 Recommendation) request States Parties to implement the 2011 Recommendation in urban World Heritage properties and, with technical assistance from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to integrate it as a tool in the monitoring processes of the state of conservation, and the preparation and updating of management plans concerning nomination process for World Heritage properties in cities and settlements including with the support of the World Heritage Urban Heritage Atlas tool;
22. Recalls the essential contribution of local communities, and the importance of their participation in decision-making processes, as well as the need to support sustainable, compatible, and inclusive livelihoods for local communities and further requests States Parties to embed stakeholder engagement in management systems and processes, in line with Paragraph 12 of the Operational Guidelines, with the 2011 Recommendation and the Policy on the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention (2015);
23. Invites all States Parties to establish governance mechanisms for urban heritage that support coordination and coherence across different sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, transport, and urban development to integrate heritage management into the plans and processes of the settlement and the region;
24. Stresses the importance of carrying out impact assessments to evaluate and thereby avoid or manage potential threats to the OUV of properties, including their authenticity and integrity, arising from new urban development projects in line with paragraph 3 above;
25. Also emphasizes the need to enhance resilience of World Heritage properties in urban areas vulnerable to climate change-related impacts, in line with the 2011 Recommendation and the outcomes of the activities of the UNESCO World Heritage Cities Programme;
    
    Infrastructure development
26. Notes with concern the growing pressure of infrastructure development, such as extractive mining activities, dams, hydropower, transportation infrastructure, and the expansion of tourism infrastructure, on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
27. Welcomes the commitment announced by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) that no new hydropower projects should be developed in World Heritage properties, and a duty of care pledge to implement high standards of performance and transparency for any hydropower projects outside of but affecting protected areas such as World Heritage properties;
28. Strongly urges all States Parties, development proponents and financiers to incorporate the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context into planning and decision-making processes to contribute to safeguarding the OUV of World Heritage properties, in line with Paragraph 3 above;
29. Requests all States Parties to:
    1. Inform the World Heritage Centre of any planned developments located within a World Heritage property, its buffer zone or in its wider setting that may impact on its OUV, prior to making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
    2. Ensure that the potential impacts of developments on the OUV are appropriately assessed, in line with Paragraph 3 above,
    3. Ensure that no proposed developments proceed that would negatively impact on the OUV,
    4. Ensure that no deliberate measures are taken, which might damage directly or indirectly the inscribed properties situated on the territory of other States Parties to the Convention, in conformity with Article 6 of the World Heritage Convention;

    
    Corporate Sector and the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment

30. Welcomes the launch of the UNESCO Guidance for the World Heritage ‘No-Go’ Commitment: Global standards for corporate sustainability as a means to assist the corporate sector to develop or update their policies and strategies to safeguard World Heritage, and thanks the Government of Flanders (Belgium) for its financial support;

31. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to continue its collaboration with the corporate sector in view of supporting the adoption and implementation of World Heritage safeguard policies, and invites companies and relevant organisations to develop and update their corporate sustainability policies in line with the UNESCO guidance, and lodge them with UNESCO;

    Rights-based Issues

32. Recalling Article 5 of the Convention that each State Party shall adopt for each country a general policy, which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community, and the integration of the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes are means of ensuring effective protection, conservation and presentation of cultural and natural heritage,
33. Also recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
34. Further recalling the various provisions of the Operational Guidelines that encourage States Parties to adopt a human rights-based approach to the nomination and subsequent effective management of inscribed World Heritage properties,
35. Bearing in mind that specific and significant spiritual meanings are mentioned to justify the Outstanding Universal Value of a large number of the World Heritage properties to be found in most countries around the world, also recalling a number of research studies and analyses of religious heritage and sacred sites carried out by the Advisory Bodies,
36. Underlining that living religious and sacred sites require specific approach and policies for protection and management that take into account their distinct spiritual nature, crucial to their Outstanding Universal Value, as a key factor in their conservation and that such policies cannot be sustainable without in-depth consultation with the appropriate stakeholders;
37. Calls upon all States Parties to ensure that human rights, including cultural rights, are protected as an integral part of the management of World Heritage properties by establishing equitable and participatory governance arrangements;
38. Strongly condemns all forms of human rights violations and abuses towards indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), including any forced eviction;
39. Notes with utmost concern the reported cases of alleged human rights abuses towards IPLCs in and around World Heritage properties and therefore, strongly urges the States Parties concerned to urgently investigate the allegations and take appropriate actions to address their findings, following an equitably governed consultative process with the participation and decision making of all rightsholders and stakeholders;
40. Reminds States Parties of their obligations to ensure that the management of World Heritage properties follows a rights-based approach that includes full involvement of all rightsholders and stakeholders, in particular IPLCs, in line with the 2015 Policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development, the UNESCO Policy on Engaging with Indigenous Peoples and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and international human rights standards;
41. Requests the Secretariat, with the Advisory Bodies, to enhance activities in the framework of the Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest and to resume elaboration of the thematic paper proposing to the States Parties general guidance regarding the management of their cultural and natural heritage of religious interest, and in compliance with the national specificities, and invites the States Parties to provide voluntary contributions to this end;

     

    Earth observation and spatial data for World Heritage conservation

42. Welcomes the development of the World Heritage Online Mapping Platform to provide a comprehensive, complete, accurate and geo-referenced dataset for the World Heritage properties that, in the pilot phase of the project, are in the Europe and North America region, and thanks the Government of Flanders (Belgium) for the support provided to the pilot phase of the project;
43. Also welcomes the Urban Heritage Atlas platform and tool for geo-referenced cultural mapping of the attributes of urban heritage and invites States Parties to use the tool for better managing their World Heritage properties and takes note with satisfaction of the continued activities of the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory applying earth observation tools for World Heritage cities;
44. Invites States Parties to contribute to the above-mentioned platforms and tools with already available GIS data, complementary narrative and visual analysis, expertise, networks, and financial resources;
45. Reiterates its request to States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to strengthen collaborative partnerships with UNESCO Category 2 Centres and other relevant institutions with a view to furthering the necessary institutional and individual capacity needed to make full use of spatial data, Earth observation satellite technologies and analysis tools for the monitoring of the state of conservation of World Heritage properties.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.55 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Welcomes the strengthening of indigenous territorial governance, and biodiversity conservation measures to restore the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and notes with satisfaction the ongoing inter-institutional efforts to address illegal activity in the property, including poaching and illegal settlement;
4. Expresses concern that the expected completion of the land titling process in the cultural zone of the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve has been further delayed to 2022 and urges the State Party to complete the process within the newly proposed timeframe;
5. Notes the State Party’s progress to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), however, notes with concernthat many challenges remain, and also urges the State Party and its partners to ensure the corrective measures are expeditiously and fully implemented, through improved collaboration and resourcing;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to secure the necessary technical and financial resources required for the consultation processes, especially with indigenous and Afro-Honduran territorial councils, to submit a proposal for a Significant Boundary Modification as a crucial step towards achieving the DSOCR, and in particular to fully consider the archaeological heritage of the property and corresponding actors;
7. Regrets that the Patuca III Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) is already in operational testing without the current and potential impacts of the project on the OUV of the property having been thoroughly assessed through a Strategic Environmental Assessment;
8. Requests the State Party to urgently develop a study to identify and monitor any actual and potential impacts of the HPP on the OUV of the property, and to adopt an adaptive management approach, including through development and implementation of necessary measures to mitigate any adverse impacts on the OUV;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session in 2024;
10. Decides to retain Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.56 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Reiterates its utmost concern about the critical status of the vaquita, specifically recognized as part of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and endemic to the Gulf of California, and that illegal fishing of totoaba has continued in the Upper Gulf of California resulting in a threat of imminent extinction of the vaquita species;
4. Takes note of the confirmation that the small and sole remaining population is still breeding, and that an extinction could still be avoided if the remaining animals can be fully protected and the illegal use of gill nets in the Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) and the Lower Gulf area effectively enforced;
5. Welcomes the measures taken to monitor the vaquita population in the property, and encourages the State Party to continue these efforts;
6. Urges the State Party to implement the following corrective measures, developed by the State Party in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN:
   1. Strengthen law enforcement efficiency through increased surveillance and inspection, continuing and further strengthening inter-institutional cooperation in this field,
   2. Introduce the necessary legislative changes to increase the penalties foreseen for illegal traffic, capture, possession, import and export of wildlife species, parts and products considered, threatened, endangered or specially protected and/or regulated under the national law, or by international treaties adopted by the State Party; and strengthen criminal prosecution procedures,
   3. Further strengthen detection and elimination of illegal and derelict fishing gear found in the Vaquita Refuge and the ZTA, in coordination with relevant stakeholders, fishing communities and cooperatives;
   4. Effectively implement the permanent ban on the use of gill nets (including the sale, manufacturing, or possession of all gill nets on land and at sea) in the Vaquita Refuge and the entire distribution range of the species;
   5. Pursue at the highest level of government, the necessary and urgent cooperation with the identified destination and transit countries involved in the illegal trade of totoaba swim bladders, through the implementation of the decisions made by Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and through other existing international mechanisms, such as INTERPOL;
   6. Ensure the large scale roll out of alternative fishing gear systems which do not cause entanglement of vaquita and other protected species already developed by the National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (CONAPESCA) / National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INAPESCA) in the Upper Gulf of California by providing appropriate incentives and accompanying measures; and develop and promote sustainable fisheries based on environmentally friendly fishing gear throughout the entire property;
7. Also welcomes the cooperation between the State Party with the relevant international institutions and States Parties to combat illegal trafficking of totoaba products, including within the framework of CITES, and strongly recommends that the State Party of Mexico, together with the States Parties of transit and destination countries, take urgent action in line with all CITES decisions to effectively address the illegal totoaba bladder trade;
8. Notes the continued surveillance and law enforcement efforts aimed at eliminating illegal fishing activities and illegal trafficking of totoaba products but notes with concern that illegal fishing activities continue and reiterates its request to the State Party to further strengthen these efforts based on a critical assessment of the efficiency of the current efforts on how to improve them;
9. Further welcomes the ongoing retrieval of abandoned fishing gear, including through collaboration with civil society organizations, and urges the State Party to continue these efforts alongside surveillance and law enforcement to ensure that the ZTA is completely free of gill nets;
10. Noting that alternative vaquita-safe fishing gear is already available for a number of fisheries, requests the State Party to expedite the production and deployment of alternative gear and provide information on the uptake of alternative gear across all fishing communities of the Upper Gulf of California;
11. Notes with appreciation the State Party’s efforts to develop the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) through ongoing dialogue with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, and encourages the State Party to finalise and submit the DSOCR following the necessary consultations with key stakeholders, for adoption by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session;
12. Also notes with appreciation the efforts of the State Party to evaluate the management effectiveness of the property, and also requests the State Party to undertake targeted efforts address the management weaknesses, especially of the components currently evaluated as ineffective;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
14. Decides to retain Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.5 and 44 COM 7A.39 adopted respectively at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Recalling in particular its decision in 2019 to grant four years to the State Party to demonstrate whether it is possible to restore the integrity of the property and to collect additional data on the state of fauna to allow an assessment of whether regeneration of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is still achievable,
4. Welcomes the significant progress made by the State Party and its partners in implementing the recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission and the decisions of the World Heritage Committee, in particular the reinforced surveillance within the delimited priority conservation area (hard core), efforts to better control transhumance, limit poaching and inventory the residual fauna of the property;
5. Notes with satisfaction the confirmation of the presence of a relict population of flagship species such as the savannah elephant, giraffe, lion, Derby eland and bongo, nurturing the hope that a regeneration of the property's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is still possible, and calls on the State Party and its partners to continue their efforts to monitor and secure the property;
6. Noting that a data collection campaign has been underway since December 2022 to carry out a faunal inventory of the property, reiterates its request to the State Party to transmit updated data on the state of the fauna to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible for review by IUCN;
7. Thanks the European Union, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Lion Recovery Fund for their support in preserving the values of the property and in particular the Government of Norway for its significant funding through the World Heritage Centre, which has enabled monitoring and management operations in the property with the aim of avoiding the loss of its OUV, and encourages States Parties to the Convention and public and private donors to support the efforts of the State Party and the partner Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for the effective management of the property and the implementation of the emergency plan;
8. Notes with concern the persistence of intensive poaching, illegal gold mining and international transhumance, and urges the State Party to strengthen control and law enforcement measures against these illegal activities and to continue advocacy for the implementation of existing regional agreements on the fight against poaching and other cross-border criminal activities, as well as those relating to peace, reconciliation and social cohesion;
9. Also requests the State Party to assess the negative impacts caused by the various past and ongoing illegal activities, particularly in the priority conservation area, and to undertake the necessary restoration activities to allow the recovery of wildlife populations;
10. Takes note of the confirmation of the suspension of petroleum exploration activities since 2012 and the State Party's proposal to organize a field mission including representatives of the Ministry of Geology and Mines to definitively clarify the situation of petroleum Block A and exploration Blocks I, II, III, and again reiterates its request to the State Party to avoid any petroleum and mining exploration activities within the boundaries of the property, in accordance with national legislation and the World Heritage status of the property;
11. Notes with concern the influx of illegal armed gold miners and the proliferation of extraction wells in the Gordil – Nda corridor to the east of the property and requests the State Party to provide detailed information on this threat and its potential impacts on the property;
12. Commends the State Party for the decision to bypass the property from the south for the realization of the Ndélé-Birao National Road 8 rehabilitation project, and requests the State Party, with the support of its partners, to finalize the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) of the project in accordance with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, before approving the project, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
13. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
14. Decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
15. Also decides to retain Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Central African Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.6 and 44 COM 7A.40 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions,
3. Commends the States Parties for their ongoing efforts under difficult circumstances to implement the corrective measures including joint transboundary surveillance patrols, funding to support management operations, anti-poaching activities, restoration of degraded areas, support for local communities, and development of a high-resolution map of the property, and requests the States Parties to continue the implementation of all corrective measures including to strengthen ecological monitoring and finalize the management plans for the property;
4. Appreciates the support by an increasing number of national and international partners to the conservation of the property, including UNESCO, USAID, GEF, EU and the World Bank and encourages the States Parties to build long term programmes with them and explore other funding opportunities for a sustainable maintenance of the ecological integrity of the property;
5. Recalls the importance of having a functional buffer zone (or an equivalent measure) around the property in Côte d’Ivoire, and reiterates its request to the State Party of Côte d’Ivoire to designate and formalize such an area following the procedures of the Operational Guidelines, and to strengthen the monitoring of community forests around the property, while ensuring that their management objectives are compatible with the management of the property;
6. Notes that the asphalting project of the Danané-Lola road was suspended in 2019 and the section crossing the buffer zone of the property in Guinea was moved further north, away from the property, and encourages the State Party to ensure that subsequent road projects in the landscape do not negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property including the proposed Lola-Zoo-Côte d’Ivoire border road project financed by the African Development Bank;
7. Takes note of the expiration of the environmental compliance certificate of Zali mining SA for the mining block immediately adjacent to the property and the information provided by the State Party of Guinea that the recommendations of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN on the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) were fully incorporated, and also requests the State Party to submit the approved ToR to the World Heritage Centre;
8. Requests the State Party of Guinea to ensure that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) for the proposed Nimba Iron Ore mining project by the Société des mines de fer de Guinée (SMFG) and the Zali Mining iron ore project:
   1. Are carried out in accordance with the highest international standards in line with the Guidance and Toolkit on Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and in close consultation with all key stakeholders,
   2. Identify fully and quantify the potential effects of the project on the OUV of the property, at each phase of its cycle, including construction and operation, taking into account the synergistic and collateral impacts also linked to on-site transformation of the ore and its transport, as well as the socio-economic changes to be expected,
   3. Are submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before any decision to approve the projects, including any issuance of a certificate of environmental compliance;
9. Notes with appreciation the commitment of the State Party of Guinea not to authorize any mining activity within the property and to ensure mining activities in the vicinity must be compatible with the OUV of the property, but remains concerned about the proliferation of mining permits around the property, and further requests the State Party of Guinea not to grant any exploration or mining permits around the property without carrying out a strategic environmental assessment to assess the impacts, including synergistic and cumulative impacts of these projects, and submitting it for prior consideration to the World Heritage Centre and for examination by IUCN, and also to provide further clarification regarding the planned World Bank strategic assessment of all mining projects in Guinea, in relation to the OUV of the property;
10. Adopts the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), presented in 2021 by the States Parties as additional information to their 2020 State of conservation report, and requests furthermore the States Parties to ensure its refinement and implementation in collaboration with international experts and development partners, considering the recommendations of the workshops related to the DSOCR held in 2022 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in 2023 in Senegal;
11. Requests moreover the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
12. Decides to retain Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44COM 7A.41 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Welcomes the significant progress made by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and the partner African Parks in close collaboration with the provincial political-administrative and military authorities and the local communities in the implementation of the corrective measures of the 2016 joint Reactive Monitoring mission and previous decisions of the World Heritage Committee, and encourages the State Party to pursue, with the support of its partners, its actions for the effective protection and management of the property;
4. Notes the results of the 2021 ecological monitoring, which show a temporary stabilization in the numbers of Kordofan giraffes and elephants and an increase in the population of hippopotamuses and buffaloes, but recalls that the populations remain very small compared to the situation at the time of the inscription of the property, is concerned about the high level of poaching for bushmeat for commercial and subsistence purposes in the hunting grounds and reiterates its request to the State Party to continue efforts to control poaching in order to promote optimal conditions for wildlife restoration, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre the strategy and the Action Plan for the conservation of giraffe in the property, for review by IUCN;
5. Reiterating its deepest concern about the probable extinction of the northern white rhinoceros subspecies within the property due to the absence of evidence of presence since 2008, notes the launching of the implementation of an introduction programme of white rhinoceros in the property with the translocation of a first group of 16 individuals of the subspecies of southern white rhinoceros in June 2023, and urges the State Party to:
   1. Submit to the World Heritage Centre the risk assessment reports carried out in 2018 and 2021 on the introduction of southern white rhinoceros, as well as the in-depth study carried out in accordance with IUCN’s Guidelines, as soon as possible, for review by IUCN,
   2. In collaboration with the World Heritage Centre, consult and take into consideration the advice of the African Rhino Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC AfrRSG) prior to the implementation of any translocations of southern white rhinoceros to the property,
   3. Implement rigorous long-term management of the risks that may be associated with the introduction of the southern white rhinoceros in the property, notably as concerns the security of the individuals, disease, competition with other herbivorous species, and veterinary considerations, to ensure the survival of translocated individuals in accordance with the advice of the IUCN SSC AfrRSG;
6. Commends the State Party for the validation of the business plan for the property which guides the management actions for the period 2022-2026 and thanks the European Union and USAID for their financial contribution for the implementation of the said plan;
7. Notes with concern the constraints related to the relocation of existing artisanal mining sites in hunting grounds and the limited progress in defining a Land Use Plan (LUP) and creating a functional buffer zone of 2km around the property, and reiterates its long-standing request to accelerate the finalization of the LUP and the creation of the buffer zone in line with the Park's sustainable development strategy, the 2019 ministerial decree prohibiting artisanal exploitation in the hunting areas, and the strategy for relocating refugee camps outside the Park;
8. Welcomes the continuation of transboundary cooperation with South Sudan, as recommended by the Committee, with a view to establishing a bilateral cooperation framework for the enhanced management of the Garamba-Lantoto landscape and again invites the two States Parties to expedite the formalization of the Memorandum of Understanding in order to reduce illegal transborder activities such as poaching and trade in wildlife products;
9. Takes note of the information on the progress made by the State Party towards achieving the indicators as proposed by the 2016 mission and reiterates again its request to the State Party to finalize these indicators on the basis of the recent inventory data available, as well as the recommendations of the regional workshop on support for the process of removing natural properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in French-speaking African countries of June 2022 in Kinshasa, and to submit the final version of the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) to the World Heritage Centre, for adoption by the World Heritage Committee;
10. Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to review the implementation of the corrective measures, and progress made to achieve the indicators as proposed by the 2016 mission, the present state of conservation of the property, the finalization of the DSOCR, as well as the status and proposed plans for the introduction of the southern white rhinoceros to replace the northern white rhinoceros, possibly extinct in the wild, as a key attribute of Outstanding Universal Value;
11. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above points, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session;
12. Decides to retain Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.48, 43 COM 7A.8, 44 COM 7A.43 and 44 COM 7A.46 adopted at its 42nd (Bahrain, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Deplores the continued violence and further loss of life of protected area staff killed in the line of duty, and offers its most sincere condolences to their families and to all the staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN);
4. Welcomes the continued improvement in the security situation and that the ongoing collaboration between the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and local population and authorities has resulted in the removal of the majority of armed groups operating within and in the vicinity of the property;
5. Notes with significant concern the new and continuing allegations of serious human rights violations towards indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) linked to law enforcement operations and also takes note of the findings of the “Commission of Inquiry into alleged violations by ICCN staff at Kahuzi-Biega National Park” set up by the State Party to investigate the raised issues;
6. Requests the State Party to implement all the recommendations of the report of the Commission of Inquiry, as well as any additional measures necessary to further ensure all conservation activities fully respect human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including by, but not limited to, establishing a national code of conduct for eco-guards and an effective and transparent grievance mechanism for human rights abuses, and by training all law enforcement staff on human rights issues, as well as ensuring an equitably governed consultative process with participation and decision making of all rightsholders and stakeholders, consistent with relevant international norms and the Policy on the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into World Heritage Processes(2015);
7. Welcomes the reported progress on the implementation of the 2019 Bukavu Dialogue recommendations, and urges the State Party to accelerate the continued implementation of the Dialogue recommendations in full consultation with all relevant stakeholders;
8. Notes with appreciation the continued progress towards achieving the corrective measures for the property including maintaining patrol coverage of the property and addressing artisanal mining and poaching, and requests the State Party to expeditiously implement all corrective measures as updated by the 2017 mission;
9. Recalling its concern regarding the increased pressure of encroachment on the property, notes with appreciation that a rehabilitation plan for the ecological corridor has been developed and requests the State Party to submit further details of the plan, and to ensure its implementation takes into consideration any impacts of encroachment on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and actions required to ensure the recovery and regeneration of natural vegetation, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders;
10. Recalling the importance of wildlife to the OUV of the property, remains concerned about the low populations of key wildlife species, in particular the population of Grauer’s gorilla, compared to the time of inscription and reiterates its requests to the State Party to submit the results of the 2018 or more recent wildlife inventory to the World Heritage Centre, and to finalize, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, indicators for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) based on the draft proposed by the 2017 mission and on the wildlife data;
11. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
12. Decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
13. Also decides to retain Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.9 and 44 COM 7A.43 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State Party to further strengthen the surveillance of the property but reiterates once more its concern regarding the persistent insecurity in the region, which limits surveillance coverage and effective management of the property, also reiterates its request to the State Party to implement all the corrective measures in order to restore the integrity of the property and calls upon donors to provide the necessary financial support;
4. Expresses its utmost concern about the continuous and increasing pressure from illegal mining in the property, including the emergence of semi-industrial mining operations approved by the mining regulatory authorities within the boundaries of the property, in contradiction to the protected area legislation, coupled with persistent insecurity, which results in large-scale deforestation and environmental damage, and also facilitates access to the property and attracts further migrants into the property leading to further illegal settlements, agricultural invasions, illegal logging and increased poaching pressure, and considers that the expansion of mining and associated illegal activities is jeopardizing the integrity of the property and therefore directly affecting its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
5. Recalls the commitments made by the State Party as part of the 2011 Kinshasa Declaration, in particular to enforce the conservation laws and mining code, which forbid any mining in protected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and urges the State Party to urgently address the issues of illegal mining at the highest level, to revoke all mining permits attributed within the property, close all mining sites inside the property and access roads to them and initiate restoration activities in the degraded areas;
6. Regrets again that no information was provided on the updating of the Integrated Management Plan (PAG) for the property and the formalization of the Central Integral Conservation Zone and urges again the State Party to expedite these processes to integrate provisions relating to the different zones of the property, including the subsistence zones, the Central Integral Conservation Zone and forestry concessions for local communities, and ensure immediate implementation;
7. Notes again the intention to repopulate the okapi breeding station and also urges again the State Party to postpone any plans to capture okapi from the wild until the security situation is stable and to develop an integrated in-situ/ex-situ conservation strategy as part of the PAG for the long-term sustainability of okapi within the property, consulting best practice expert guidance, such as the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group;
8. Also welcomes the continued efforts for the participatory demarcation process of the western boundary of the property including through the support provided by the World Heritage Centre with funding from the Government of Norway, and requests the State Party to finalize the full demarcation of the property boundaries;
9. Requests again the State Party to provide further details on:
   1. The number of residents within the villages located inside the property in order to assess the impacts of population increases on land-use in the property,
   2. The Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) data to enable an assessment of the impact of illegal activities on the OUV of the property,
   3. Data concerning progress accomplished with regard to the indicators defined in the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
10. Also requests the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess its state of conservation, the status of increased threats and impacts from semi-industrial mining, implementation of the corrective measures, and the progress towards achieving the DSOCR;
11. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
12. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
13. Also decides to retain Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.45 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Deplores the continued armed conflict and resulting further loss of life of protected area staff killed in the line of duty and of local communities, and offers its most sincere condolences to their families and to all the staff of the “Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)”;
4. Welcomes the progress achieved by the State Party and partners in implementing some of the corrective measures despite the challenging security context in the region;
5. Expresses its utmost concern regarding the considerable deterioration of the security situation resulting in large parts of the property being in the area under the administration of armed groups and the park authorities having to abandon the gorilla sector, and reported increase in poaching, commends the actions taken by the park authorities to maintain the monitoring of gorilla populations through local community trackers and as well as continuing anti-poaching activities in the rest of the property and urges the State Party to continue its efforts to protect the property in line with its commitments in the 2011 Kinshasa Declaration, including through the joint organization with UNESCO and its partners of a national workshop on heritage protection in conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as soon as possible;
6. Notes with concern the reported increase in deforestation for fuelwood around the camps for Internally Displaced People fleeing the armed conflict and requests the State Party, in collaboration with humanitarian relief organizations, to address the matter, such as by providing the camps with alternative fuel systems for cooking and heating;
7. Whilst reiterating its position that oil and gas exploration and exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, notes with utmost concern that the State Party has again included the oil blocks overlapping with the property in a new auction for oil and gas blocks, despite the repeated requests by the Committee to cancel existing petroleum concessions granted inside the property, and again strongly reiterates its request to the State Party not to allocate new concessions overlapping with the property and to cancel any existing concessions and to confirm its unequivocal commitment to prohibit new petroleum exploration and exploitation within the property;
8. Welcomes the increase of gorilla populations and that elephants are starting to return to the property from neighbouring Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda) reported in the latest State Party report, notes with concern that the current upsurge in poaching pressure linked to the insecurity poses a risk that these successes could be reversed, with the increased presence of armed groups impacting patrolling and monitoring of large mammals - these species remain vulnerable and under threat by continuing poaching, and encourages the State Party to maintain its efforts to combat poaching as far as the security situation allows, and to submit, as soon as the conditions on the ground allow, the latest results of flagship species inventories, as well as the biological indicators for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) to be finalized in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
9. Welcomes the reduction of the encroachment in the property from more than 20% in 2018 to 12% in 2021, recalls that restoring the territorial integrity of the property remains one of the most important challenges and a key requirement to move towards a removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger in the future and urges the State Party to ensure that local, provincial and national authorities cooperate with the park management to halt encroachment and take measures to recover and restore the encroached areas;
10. Further notes with concern the reported opening of a road and military infrastructure within the property and requests the State Party to ensure that any infrastructure developments in or around the property, including hydropower projects and road developments, are assessed for their potential impacts, including cumulative impacts, on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and to inform the World Heritage Centre of any new developments in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, prior to any activities being undertaken.
11. Further requests the State Party to continue its efforts to implement all corrective measures as updated by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission and to continue the implementation of the sustainable development activities established in the framework of the Virunga Alliance;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, as soon as the security situation allows, to assess the impact of the renewed fighting in the property on its state of conservation, in particular in the central and gorilla sectors, the actions taken or planned for the cancellation of any oil block auctions overlapping with the property and the implementation of the corrective measures;
13. Notes with appreciation the development of a 2021-2025 Development and Management Plan (PAG), and the proposed development of a strategy to secure financial autonomy for the property by 2026, and requests moreover the State Party to submit the validated PAG to the World Heritage Centre for review;
14. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
15. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring mechanism for the property;
16. Also decides to retain Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.46 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the implementation of this Decision, as requested by the Committee at its 44th extended session,
4. Notes with utmost concern the reports of alleged human rights abuses towards indigenous peoples and local communities during law enforcement operations and reiterates its requests to the State Party to take urgent measures to further strengthen efforts to address this issue, including by establishing and implementing a national code of conduct for eco-guards and a grievance mechanism for human rights abuses, and by training all staff on human rights issues as part of regular law enforcement training, as well as ensuring that management processes are founded on a rights-based approach that ensures full involvement of all stakeholders, in particular indigenous peoples and local communities, in line with relevant international norms, the 2015 Policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development;
5. While noting the improved security situation in Salonga, Kahuzi-Biega and Garamba National Parks, notes with concern the continued security challenges in Okapi Wildlife Reserve and expresses its utmost concern about the situation in Virunga National Park, which is again partly situated in the territory controlled by rebel groups and has been the scene of heavy fighting since 2022, resulting again in park staff being tragically killed in the line of duty, strongly condemns this violence once again, addresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and all staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) and urges the State Party to continue to strengthen the capacity of ICCN to continue to ensure the management of the properties in the current difficult security situation and to take all measures to restore peace and security in and around the properties;
6. While stressing the importance of ensuring a sustainable financing mechanism, also urges the State Party to ensure the sustainability of the “Okapi Fund for Conservation – FOCON” as the Trust Fund for protected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), encourages the donor community, to continue to provide adequate financial and technical support to effectively respond to the management needs of the DRC World Heritage properties;
7. Strongly regrets that the State Party has included in the public auction of oil blocks in 2022 two oil blocks overlapping with Virunga National Park, notes with utmost concern the semi-industrial mining activities in Okapi Wildlife Reserve, reiterates its clear position concerning the incompatibility of mining, oil exploration and exploitation with World Heritage status and urges once again the State Party to cancel all concessions for oil blocks and mining concessions that overlap with World Heritage properties;
8. Notes with appreciation the proposal of UNESCO to organise with the State Party a national workshop in the DRC to discuss challenges and provide recommendations on how to ensure the management and protection of heritage in conflict zones;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, a detailed report on the implementation of the Kinshasa Declaration, the security situation in the properties, the measures taken to address human rights abuses and the actions undertaken to cancel all oil exploration and exploitation and mining concessions that encroach on World Heritage properties, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.