Socotra Archipelago

Threats identified at the time of inscription of the property in 2008:

• Legal frameworks, governance and management systems;
• Ground transport infrastructure: roading;
• Livestock grazing: sheep, goat and cattle;
• Invasive species;
• Fishing and collection of marine resources;
• Solid waste: primarily in and around main settlements.

In November 2012, IUCN conducted a mission in follow up to the property’s inscription on the World Heritage List in 2008 (Decision 32 COM 8B.5), and assessed the progress achieved by the State Party in the implementation of the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee. The mission report is available online at the following web address: https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/37COM. The mission reported on the key issues as follows:

a)  Governance and Management

The mission noted that an overall governance framework of the property, including a set of five Cabinet decrees setting the strategic goals and actions adopted by the government of Yemen for Socotra, was in place. However, little evidence was found of a systematic management planning framework geared towards long term protection and sustainability. Socotra seems to have been subject to a period of stagnancy which started soon after the inscription.

No concrete progress has been made towards establishment of an independent authority for Socotra mandated to oversee the Archipelago’s management and protection. The current capacity of the Environment Protection Authority is below the minimum level of human and financial resources as well as law enforcement powers needed to ensure the effective management of the property. The property management plan has not been reviewed or developed in response to its inscription on the World Heritage List. The buffer zones of the property also lack adequate regulations and management systems needed to achieve functionality as a shock absorber to threats approaching the property.

b)  Road Construction

The mission identified the road construction issue as a main threat to the conservation status of Socotra. Specifically, roads lead to the complete destruction of the lands over which they run, and can significantly alter additional lands from which road building material is sourced. Poorly constructed roads also lead to the risk of erosion and landslides, as already observed by the mission within the property.  Roads also facilitate the propagation of introduced species and ease of access for illegal activities. The mission noted that most of the 450km of roads constructed in the Archipelago were constructed with minimal environmental or social safeguards and precautions. However, it reported that road construction had ceased since late 2010 due to political instability and economic constraints. However, there is no guarantee that the construction works will not be reactivated in the future. The mission further reported that there seemed to be a high level of awareness and commitment among the Government to mitigate the negative impacts of roads and to adopt a new set of guidelines and procedures for road construction and other infrastructure development fully responsive to Socotra’s World Heritage status. 

c)  Livestock Grazing

Many biodiversity and conservation experts identify the issue of grazing as the key factor negatively impacting the conservation of the property. The mission noted excessive grazing levels evident throughout the main island of Socotra. Currently, there is no capacity to assess the actual level of grazing impact on the biodiversity and rangeland productivity of the Archipelago. The mission noted a lack of systematic approach towards addressing the grazing impacts. They also concluded that little could be done to address the grazing challenges at the current stage of economic and social circumstances. This is due to the socio-economic sensitivity of the activity for local people and the fact that the islands have gone through consecutive years of severe drought and low productivity. The mission concluded that the grazing issue represented an ongoing and possibly expanding challenge facing the property in the main island of Socotra specifically, and possibly the island of Abdul Kori.

d)  Invasive Species

The mission did not document any concrete actions taken by relevant authorities to deal with alien species import or native species export. This includes the inability to control the numerous access points on the island. The Environmental Protection Authority currently has limited capacity on the island to enforce such controls, especially after 2008, which marked an amplification of the problem. It is noted that the status is even more challenging for the outer islands of the Archipelago where almost no information is available and very little control is exerted.

e)  Tourism Development

The mission concluded that tourism did not represent for the time being a major issue for the conservation of the Archipelago. Nevertheless, it is recognized as a potential future threat, especially considering the lack of tourism strategy for the property, the limited capacities of relevant authorities to manage tourism, the low levels of management infrastructure and facilities, and lack of control systems and monitoring protocols.

Visitor numbers were increasing between 2008 and 2010 but declined upon the political crisis in Yemen. Visitor numbers could easily pick up again after the foreseen period of stability, hence a clear strategic approach is required for future management and development.

f)  Marine Resource Exploitation

Fishing and other forms of collection of aquatic resources were identified by the IUCN mission, local communities and scientific experts as a continuing threat and issue for the conservation of the property. The effect is amplified by the increase of security problems in the Indian Ocean and the limited law enforcement capacities of the Archipelago authorities to respond. Further, the issue related to dead coral collection and export to neighbouring countries does not seem to have been resolved considering economic perspective and impact on coastal zones. 

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note the strong governance framework developed for Socotra upon its inscription. The 2008 Cabinet Decrees represent a firm commitment from the Government of Yemen to safeguard Socotra and adopt a strategy for its protection and sustainable development. It seems however, that this commitment has been greatly challenged by development pressure in 2009 and 2010. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN are of the view that, if the construction of new or unfinished roads within the core biodiversity areas is resumed, it would pose a serious potential threat to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property in line with paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN also note the continuation of several key issues with high impacts on the long term conservation and sustainability of the property’s natural values and associated cultural attributes. These include the absence of a management system for the property supported by adequate levels of human and financial resources, the continuing impacts from past road construction, current livestock grazing, alien species introduction, solid waste accumulation, and marine resources exploitation, in addition to the potential impacts of unsustainable tourism and visitation.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN further note the limited capacities of the national and local authorities to adopt a management framework associated with clear programmes for law enforcement, monitoring, documentation and awareness-raising. This represents a key impediment to the long term protection and sustainability of the property’s biodiversity and natural resources. They note that a positive outcome of the mission is a partnership between IUCN and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage to provide additional capacity building to the property.