The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7A,
- Recalling Decision 37 COM 7A.11, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
- Commends the efforts undertaken by the State Party in the implementation of the corrective measures and the commitments contained in the action plan annexed to the decision of the Conference of Parties of CITES in Bangkok (COP16);
- Welcomes the clear political will of the State Party as expressed by the President of the Republic of Madagascar to undertake the necessary measures to halt the illegal traffic of rosewood;
- Notes with concern an increase in illegal logging since end-2013 and the continued illegal exportation despite the embargo established in the framework of the CITES action plan and requests the State Party to strengthen the surveillance mechanism that has been weakened since the elections;
- Urges the State Party of Madagascar as well as the recipient States Parties of the illegal traffic to reinforce efforts to respect the embargo and to inform the port and airport authorities of their respective capitals of the fraudulent nature of the exportation of rosewood from Madagascar;
- Also requests the State Party to postpone the sale and exportation of the illegal stocks until the results of the current studies as well as the endorsement of the CITES Permanent Committee have been obtained and reiterates the importance of the consultation process with all the stakeholders;
- Also reiterates that the elimination of illegal logging in the components of the property and the illegal stocks constitute a key condition for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
- Further requests the State Party to continue its efforts in the implementation of the corrective measures and the recommendations of the 2011 joint UNESCO/IUCN mission that have not yet been entirely implemented;
- Requests furthermore the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property to assess this progress and the progress achieved in the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and to update, if necessary, the corrective measures and the timetable for their implementation;
- Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, a detailed report, including a 1-page executive summary on the state of conservation of the entire serial property, including an evaluation of the implementation of the corrective measures, and information on progress made towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015;
- Decides to retain the Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) on the List of World Heritage in Danger