The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B2,
- Recalling Decision 19 COM VIIIA.3 adopted at its 19th session (Berlin, 1995),
- Inscribes the Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua, Congo on the World Heritage List, on the basis of criteria (ix) and (x);
- Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
[Text available in French only]
- Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
- Finalize the full cancellation of the last two non-operational licences that partially overlap with the buffer zone of the property,
- Increase the area of the buffer zone that would not be subject to logging regimes to the greatest extent possible in order to reduce any edge effects on the natural systems inside the property, and ensure that all concessions in the buffer zone of the property work towards obtaining FSC certification, and that they will be strictly controlled and managed without any significant impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.
- Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2025 a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 48th session.