Decision 41 COM 7A.13

Simien National Park (Ethiopia) (N 9)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 35 COM 7A.9, 39 COM 7A.10 and 40 COM 7A.43 adopted at its 35th (UNESCO, 2011), 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions respectively;
3. Congratulates the State Party for the efforts made in the implementation of the corrective measures and achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
4. Decides to remove Simien National Park (Ethiopia) from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
5. Notes the possible increase in Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf populations and requests the State Party to develop clear and agreed monitoring protocols for the populations of Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf and gelada;
6. Also notes that the voluntary relocation of the Gich community has been completed, and establishment of alternative livelihood options is underway, and also requests the State Party to ensure the application of the highest standards in concluding all the remaining commitments;
7. Notes with appreciation the State Party’s commitment to complete the construction of the alternative road aiming at reducing disturbance of the existing main road in important afro-alpine habitats, and to re-align the power line with this new road, and further requests the State Party to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the part of the new road crossing the national park in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
8. Also notes with appreciation that multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental partners cooperate with the State Party on the conservation of the property and strongly encourages all current and future partners to fully coordinate their efforts under the leadership of the State Party;
9. Further notes the location of the proposed eco-lodge developments inside the park and requests furthermore the State Party to submit the EIAs including a thorough assessment of the potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, to the World Heritage Centre for review in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Requests moreover the State Party to implement the other recommendations of the 2017 mission, which build upon earlier mission recommendations, in particular to:
    1. Adopt a clear, realistic and funded plan to manage and substantially reduce overgrazing in the property to the levels that do not impact on its Outstanding Universal Value,
    2. Initiate the evaluation of the current 2009-2019 General Management Plan (GMP) to inform the next GMP,
    3. Strengthen the participation of local communities in the management and eventually the governance of the property;
11. Reiterates its repeated request to the State Party to submit a proposal for a Significant Boundary Modification through the preparation of a new nomination as per Decisions 35 COM 7A.9 and 40 COM 43, in order to harmonize the boundaries of the property with the new boundaries of the national park;
12. Requests in addition the State Party to initiate the development of a new GMP to encompass the expanded Simien Mountains National Park boundaries and to further refine the policy and management framework with the objectives to reduce overgrazing, better manage tourism and infrastructures and promote alternative livelihoods;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.