Decision 38 COM 7B.94

Serengeti National Park (United Republic of Tanzania) (N 156)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 36 COM 7B.6, adopted at its 36th session (Saint-Petersburg, 2012),
3. Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to address the escalating threat of poaching, particularly affecting elephant and rhino populations, and calls upon the international community, and in particular destination countries, to take all necessary measures to curb the illicit trade in wildlife products in line with their commitments under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES);
4. Also welcomes the information that a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is underway for the “Comprehensive Transport and Trade System Development Master Plan” and urges the State Party to ensure an open, transparent and participatory process taking into account scientific advice as well as the guidance provided in the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, especially in relation to the proposed road network in and around the property and submit a copy of the SEA to the Committee for its consideration, before a final decision on possible developments is taken;
5. Notes that the State Party re-confirms that the construction of a proposed North road traversing the park has been abandoned and reiterates its call to the international community to support the development of an alternative alignment, passing to the south of the property;
6. Also notes the efforts made in evaluating road-surfacing options for the heavily used main road through the property and requests the State Party to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in cooperation with Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, to assess the impacts of the different options and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review prior to a decision on stabilising this road being made;
7. Also requests the States Parties of Kenya and Tanzania to further strengthen efforts towards the sustainable management of the Mara River Basin and preparation of a joint management plan for the basin and to sustain and strengthen management programmes, including collaboration with other stakeholders across the wider Serengeti Ecosystem through the “Serengeti Ecosystem Forum”;
8. Encourages the State Party to submit a request for International Assistance from the World Heritage Fund for a hydrological survey of the property and related determination of the water use carrying capacity, feeding in to the planned revision of the management plan, which should include a strategy for future tourism development within the limits of the carrying capacity;
9. Further requests the State Party to provide an electronic and three printed copies of the draft revised management plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
10. Recognizes the progress made in negotiations over the possible future extension of the park to incorporate critical lake-shore habitats around the Speke Gulf and also encourages the State Party to conclude this process in close consultation with all stakeholders at the earliest opportunity;
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to provide detailed information about reported plans for an airport development at Mugumu, including a copy of the EIA of this project for review, in conformity with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment and before a decision is made on the project;
12. Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2015, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.