Decision 45 COM 7B.101

Maloti-Drakensberg Park (Lesotho, South Africa) (C/N 985bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.170 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
3. Appreciates the commitment by the State Party of South Africa to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context for the proposed cableway in the immediate vicinity of the property and for the proposed oil and gas exploration within the anticipated buffer zone in South Africa, which could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and requests the State Party of South Africa to ensure that their potential impacts on the OUV of the property are assessed in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and to submit impact assessments to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before making any decisions that may be difficult to reverse, and to continue to keep the World Heritage Centre informed before any such pending decision to proceed is made, in accordance with Paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
4. Also requests the State Party of South Africa to provide more information on the mitigation measures put in place to avoid any negative impacts, in particular visual impacts, of the operation of the petrol filling station in the buffer zone of the property on the OUV;
5. Notes with appreciation the completion of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the uKhahlamba Drakensberg component of the property in South Africa, which will be reviewed by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Reiterates its request to the States Parties to urgently complete and submit to the World Heritage Centre for review the revision of the Joint Management Plan of the property, taking on board the outcomes of the Conservation, Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Rock Art in Sehlabathebe National Park project, improving interpretation of rock art, and using it as an umbrella to harmonise the management system, and to report on its implementation;
7. Takes note of the approval of the Biodiversity Resources Management Bill by the National Assembly of Lesotho and also reiterates its request to the State Party of Lesotho to expedite finalization and to submit a copy to the World Heritage Centre;
8. Notes the process to propose a minor boundary modification to formalize the buffer zone to the south of the Sehlabathebe National Park in South Africa and further requests the States Parties to submit the fully completed maps, as advised by the World Heritage Centre, so that it can be transferred to the Advisory Bodies for evaluation;
9. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, 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 47th session.