Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

Administration
Budget
Capacity Building
Communication
Community
Conservation
Credibility of the World Heritage ...
Inscriptions on the World Heritage ...
International Assistance
List of World Heritage in Danger
Operational Guidelines
Outstanding Universal Value
Partnerships
Periodic Reporting
Reinforced Monitoring
Reports
Tentative Lists
Working methods and tools
World Heritage Convention








2029 27 GA
2027 26 GA
2025 25 GA
2025 47 COM
2024 46 COM
2023 24 GA
2023 45 COM
2023 18 EXT.COM
2022 17 EXT.COM
2021 16 EXT.COM
2021 23 GA
2021 44 COM
2021 15 EXT.COM
2020 14 EXT.COM
2019 13 EXT.COM
2019 22 GA
2019 43 COM
2018 42 COM
2017 12 EXT.COM
2017 21 GA
2017 41 COM
2016 40 COM
2015 11 EXT.COM
2015 20 GA
2015 39 COM
2014 1 EXT.GA
2014 38 COM
2013 19 GA
2013 37 COM
2012 36 COM
2011 10 EXT.COM
2011 18 GA
2011 35 COM
2010 34 COM
2010 9 EXT.COM
2009 17 GA
2009 33 COM
2008 32 COM
2007 16 GA
2007 8 EXT.COM
2007 31 COM
2006 30 COM
2005 15 GA
2005 29 COM
2005 29 BUR
2004 7 EXT.COM
2004 7 EXT.BUR
2004 28 COM
2004 28 BUR
2003 14 GA
2003 27 COM
2003 27 BUR
2003 6 EXT.COM
2002 26 COM
2002 26 BUR
2001 25 COM
2001 25 EXT.BUR
2001 5 EXT.COM
2001 13 GA
2001 25 BUR
2000 24 COM
2000 24 EXT.BUR
2000 24 BUR(SPE)
2000 24 BUR
1999 23 COM
1999 23 EXT.BUR
1999 4 EXT.COM
1999 12 GA
1999 3 EXT.COM
1999 23 BUR
1998 22 COM
1998 22 EXT.BUR
1998 22 BUR
1997 21 COM
1997 21 EXT.BUR
1997 2 EXT.COM
1997 11 GA
1997 21 BUR
1996 20 COM
1996 20 EXT.BUR
1996 20 BUR
1995 19 COM
1995 19 EXT.BUR
1995 10 GA
1995 19 BUR
1994 18 COM
1994 18 EXT.BUR
1994 18 BUR
1993 17 COM
1993 17 EXT.BUR
1993 9 GA
1993 17 BUR
1992 16 COM
1992 16 BUR
1991 15 COM
1991 8 GA
1991 15 BUR
1990 14 COM
1990 14 BUR
1989 13 COM
1989 7 GA
1989 13 BUR
1988 12 COM
1988 12 BUR
1987 11 COM
1987 6 GA
1987 11 BUR
1986 10 COM
1986 10 BUR
1985 9 COM
1985 5 GA
1985 9 BUR
1984 8 COM
1984 8 BUR
1983 7 COM
1983 4 GA
1983 7 BUR
1982 6 COM
1982 6 BUR
1981 5 COM
1981 1 EXT.COM
1981 5 BUR
1980 3 GA
1980 4 COM
1980 4 BUR
1979 3 COM
1979 3 BUR
1979 2 BUR
1978 2 GA
1978 2 COM
1978 1 BUR
1977 1 COM
1976 1 GA

Decision 44 COM 7B.87
Banc d’Arguin National Park (Mauritania) (N 506)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.98, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
  3. Commends the State Party for the efforts made and requests it to pursue them, in particular by finalizing and implementing the 2020-2024 development and management plan, which should be transmitted to the World Heritage Centre for examination;
  4. Welcomes the abandonment of the relocation project for villages threatened by climate change and the development of an alternative project aimed at “improving the resilience of indigenous populations and the ecosystems of the Banc d’Arguin”, as well as the State Party’s efforts to develop sustainable community ecotourism respecting the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
  5. Welcoming the measures taken to protect endangered species, in particular concerning shark fishing and the implementation of sustainable fishing practices, and nevertheless taking note of the various actual and potential threats to the OUV of the property reported by the State Party, also requests it to continue and strengthen its monitoring and management, including fishing, in particular within the framework of the 2020-2024 development and management plan;
  6. Notes with concern that the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) on the development of the town of Chami raises numerous and significant potential threats to the property and its OUV, requiring strict control of the development, implementation of mitigation measures or prohibition of certain activities and reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that any development in the town of Chami is first subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage advise note on Environmental Assessment before any decision of approval;
  7. Further requests the State Party not to approve a development that could have a negative impact on the OUV of the property and urges the State Party to follow the recommendations of the Banc d’Arguin Scientific Council (CSBA), including on the removal of gold mining sites from the borders of the Banc d’Arguin National Park and on the treatment of contaminated sludge and waste in order to avoid their dissemination in the property;
  8. Regrets that the State Party has not yet transmitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) the national navigation data required to consider a possible designation of a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), and requests furthermore the State Party to send it as soon as possible in order to explore the technical feasibility of the possible designation, before submitting a final application;
  9. Also regrets that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the oil exploration project of block C19 near the property was not transmitted to the World Heritage Centre before the start of operations, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and requests moreover the State Party to:
    1. ensure the implementation of the mitigation measures identified by the CSBA to avoid any indirect impact on the OUV of the property during the exploration phase,
    2. undertake a new ESIA respecting international standards and good practices before authorizing to proceed to an operational phase to assess the impacts of the OUV of the property, in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage advise note on Environmental Assessment, and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review, in accordance with the Operational Guidelines;
    3. ensure that the IUCN evaluation of the Terms of Reference for an ESIA for a proposed exploration project in the Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone is taken into account;
  10. Considering the location of the water extraction field of the Tasiast mine, the studies on the potential hydrogeological impacts and on the OUV of the property and the reservations made by the CSBA also requests moreover the State Party to undertake a larger-scale strategic technical assessment of the hydrological system in relation to the property;
  11. Also notes with concern the outbreaks of avian influenza in the Diawling National Park and the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal) and also requests furthermore the State Party to closely monitor the bird populations and implement the guidance provided by the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds to contain the epizootic and avoid any outbreaks in the property, in close cooperation with the State Party of Senegal;
  12. Recalls that the addition of possible new criteria would require the presentation of this request as a new nomination, in accordance with Paragraph 166 of the Operational Guidelines, and the application of procedures specific to a new nomination, and invites the State Party to engage in dialogue with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN on the issue of the attributes;
  13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, 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 45th session.
Decision Code
44 COM 7B.87
Themes
Conservation
States Parties 1
Year
2021
State of conservation reports
2021 Banc d'Arguin National Park
Documents
WHC/21/44.COM/18
Decisions adopted at the 44th extended session of the World Heritage Committee
Context of Decision
WHC-21/44.COM/7B
top