The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
- Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7A.13 and 40 COM 7A.46, adopted respectively at its 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) sessions,
- Welcomes the State Party's efforts to implement the corrective measures, in particular as regards strengthening the anti-poaching mechanism and the capacities of the property staff, and requests the State Party to continue these efforts;
- Also welcomes the intensified protection project prepared, discussed and implemented following a Memorandum of Understanding concluded between the National Parks Directorate (DPN), Petowal Mining Company (PMC) and the NGO Panthera, covering the southeastern part of the property adjacent to the mining concession in Mako;
- Also recalling its concern about the potential impacts of the gold prospection project at Mako that could exacerbate existing problems, such as poaching, illegal gold-mining and habitat fragmentation, and its request to the State Party that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the project be monitored and implemented to reflect this concern;
- Regrets that a mining concession was granted to the Mako gold prospection project for the period 2016-2027;
- Also requests the State Party to take all necessary precautions to avoid any impact of the project on the OUV of the property, including the permanent loss of chimpanzee habitat outside the property, considered as having a direct impact on its OUV;
- Considering that the exploitation of the mine is underway, requests the State Party to take all necessary measures to ensure that this exploitation has no negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property to enable the implementation of all corrective measures adopted by the Committee in its Decision 39 COM 7A.13;
- Also regrets that an evaluation of the impacts of the Sambangalou dam project on the OUV of the property has still not been carried out, despite repeated requests from the Committee and, once again expressing deep concern about the potential impacts of the project on the OUV of the property, in particular on the reduction of the areas of gallery forests and Ronier Palm stands, on the river fording by the great fauna and on the insufficient water supply of the flood basins and the ponds in the property, reiterates its request to the State Party to submit a specific study on the impacts of the Sambangalou dam project on the OUV of the property in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note: the Environmental Assessment, before any decision on its construction, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and also to provide updated information on the status of this project;
- Notes the updating and implementation of the ecological monitoring program and its foreseen integration in the management plan of the property, while recalling that updating and implementing the management plan remains an urgent priority;
- Takes note with satisfaction of the State Party's confirmation that the basalt quarry at Mansadala will be permanently closed in 2018;
- Further requests the State Party to provide in its next report information on the implementation of all corrective measures and on the progress made towards achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
- Requests moreover that the State Party 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;
- Decides to retain Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.