The World Heritage Committee,
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Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7A,
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Recalling Decision 38 COM 7A.35, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
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Welcomes the continued progress achieved by the State Party in addressing anthropogenic threats to the property, and commends the State Party in particular for significantly reducing the number of recorded incidences of agricultural encroachment and illegal grazing, and for the increasing participation of local people in patrols;
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Also welcomes the State Party’s confirmation that no mining licenses were awarded within the boundaries of the property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) for the two exploration licenses located immediately to the north of the property, which should include an assessment of their potential impact on Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment;
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Notes with concern the reported rapid increase of illegal gold mining and the associated risk of poaching, and urges the State Party to provide political support at the national level to ensure adequate provision of human and financial resources and strict law enforcement to address this threat;
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Requests the State Party to implement the rehabilitation plan as a matter of priority, to ensure the effective implementation of other management activities;
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Also notes that the results of the aerial survey will enable further definition of the biological indicators of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and also requests the State Party, in consultation with IUCN and the World Heritage Centre, to define the biological indicators and the timeframe to achieve them as soon as further data are available on chimpanzee and elephant populations, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016;
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Further requests the State Party to implement a robust and consistent biological monitoring methodology to ensure regular monitoring of the recovery of wildlife populations throughout the property, which should facilitate the future review of progress achieved toward the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
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Requests furthermore the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission on the property to examine the state of conservation of the property and the progress achieved on the above-mentioned items;
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Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016;
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Decides to retain Comoé National Park (Côte d'Ivoire) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.