The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A.Add,
- Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.9 and 42 COM 7A.49, adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
- Reiterates its concern for the continued insecurity, which limits surveillance coverage of the property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to rapidly strengthen the number and capacity of guards, as well as the budget for the property in order to extend the coverage of the patrols and progressively gain full control of the property and drastically reduce the poaching that affects the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
- Welcomes the improved cooperation with the armed forces, allowing more joint patrols to secure the property and resulting in the military evacuating its positions in the property, including the mining quarries;
- Appreciates the actions taken to close some artisanal mines and urges again the State Party to undertake urgent measures to close all illegal artisanal mines within the property and ensure their rehabilitation;
- Also reiterates its request to the State Party to update the data concerning the number of residents in the property and the villages located along the National Road (RN4) to assess the impacts of the increase in populations on the land-use in the property;
- Notes the delay in updating the Integrated Management Plan (PAG) for the property and the validation of the Central Integral Conservation Zone, and also urges the State Party to expedite the updating of the PAG, integrating provisions relating to the different zones of the property, including the subsistence zones, the Central Integral Conservation Zone and forestry concessions for local communities, and ensure its immediate implementation;
- Further reiterates its request to the State Party to provide the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) data collected to enable an assessment of the illegal activities on the OUV of the property and data concerning progress accomplished with regard to the indicators defined in the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
- Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, 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 44th session in 2020;
- Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
- Also decides to retain Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
