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.