Decision 38 COM 7A.35

Comoé National Park (Côte d’Ivoire) (N 227)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7A.2, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Commends the State Party for the efforts undertaken in the implementation of the corrective measures and the actions carried out with the local populations in establishing the Village Conservation and Development Associations (VCDA) and their involvement in surveillance patrols;
4. Notes with concern the delay in carrying out the wildlife inventory to enable the identification of value indicators for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger and requests the State Party to give priority to this inventory;
5. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with IUCN, a proposal for the value indicators for the Desired state of conservation, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to officially confirm as soon as possible, that no mining research or exploitation permit, industrial or artisanal, affects the property and to submit to the World Heritage Centre the results of the impact studies on mining research permits granted in the northern part of the property on its Outstanding universal value, in conformity with the IUCN’s World Heritage advice note on Environmental Assessments;
7. Further requests the State Party to urgently update the management plan and the establishment of the rehabilitation plan so as to coordinate efficiently all the control, rehabilitation and monitoring actions;
8. Furthermore requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the corrective measures and the above-mentioned issues, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015;
9. Decides to retain Comoé National Park (Côte d'Ivoire) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.