Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
- Illegal activities
- War
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Armed conflict
- Poaching
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 1995**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1995
The site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 as it was affected by civil disturbances and its staff held hostage. The World Heritage Committee took note that a peace accord was signed on 9 October 1994 and encouraged the authorities to implement it and to undertake all efforts to safeguard the site. The Centre in cooperation with the authorities of Niger sent a consultant to the site in February/March 1995 and the Centre is awaiting a detailed report on the state of conservation of the site.
Action Required
At the Bureau meeting, an oral presentation will be made on the detailed report of the state of conservation of the site, which was not available at the time of the preparation of this document. The Bureau may then consider to recommend to the Committee that the site be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995
The Bureau recalled at its nineteenth session that the site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 as it was affected by civil disturbances and its staff held hostage. The World Heritage Committee at its eighteenth session took note that a peace accord was signed on 9 October 1994 and encouraged the authorities to implement it and to undertake all efforts to safeguard the site. The Centre, in cooperation with the authorities of Niger, sent a mission to review the protected area system of Niger and to prepare the nomination of a natural site. One of the results of this mission was a preliminary report on the Air-et-Tenere World Heritage site. It indicated that due to a number of different factors (historical, socio-economic and political), armed conflict developed over the last years (Tuareg minority against the State). A major degradation of the site was noted, including poaching. In 1995, however, a dialogue was established between the two parties, which has paved the way for a return to a normal situation and may allow for a detailed evaluation of the state of conservation of the site, and examine how the World Heritage Fund could contribute to the action programme for the recovery of the site.
An IUCN project is under way to assist in re-establishing the management regime. The Ambassador of Niger underlined that his Government is now taking every step to enhance the management of the site and wishes, as soon as all conditions are met, that a mission be sent to the site, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre. However, given the fact that IUCN is carrying out a project at the site, the Centre sees no necessity to field a mission at the present time.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995
The Bureau may wish to examine the report provided by IUCN on the site and may wish to consider whether the site should continue to be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 BUR VI.20
Aïr-et-Ténéré Reserve (Niger)
The Bureau recalled that the site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 as it was affected by civil disturbances and its staff held hostage. The World Heritage Committee at its eighteenth session took note that a peace accord was signed on 9 October 1994 and encouraged the authorities to implement it and to undertake all efforts to safeguard the site. The Centre in cooperation with the authorities of Niger sent a mission to Niger to review the protected area system of Niger and to prepare a nomination of a natural site. As one of the outcomes of this mission, a preliminary report on Aïr et Ténéré was prepared. It indicates that under the influence of a number ofdifferent factors, including, historical, socio-economic and political, an armed conflict developed during the last years(minority of Tuareg against the States). A major degradation of the site was noted including poaching. In 1995, however, a dialogue was established between the two parties, which makes the return to a normal situation possible and may allow evaluation of the state of conservation in detail and to elaborate how the World Heritage Fund could contribute to the action programme for the recovery of the site.
The Representative of IUCN informed the Bureau that a 125,000 Swiss Franc project is under way with IUCN to assist in reestablishing the management regime. The Ambassador of Niger underlined that his Government is now taking every step to enhance the management of the site and wishes as soon as all conditions are met, that a mission should be sent to the site with the help of the World Heritage Centre. The Bureau recommended that the site be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger, however, indicating on the basis of IUCN's report, that the site could be removed from the Danger List in due course.
19 COM VII.A.1.8/9
SOC: Air-et-Tenere Reserve (Niger)
VII.8 Air-et-Tenere Reserve (Niger)
The Committee recalled that at the request of the Niger authorities, the site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 as it was affected by civil disturbances. A Peace Accord was signed in October 1994.
The Delegate of Niger took the floor and recommended that an evaluation mission be organized to review the situation at the site.
Meanwhile, the Committee decided that the site would remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The situation will be reviewed by the Committee at its twentieth session in the light of information provided by the mission.
The Bureau recommends the Committee to examine the information contained in the working document and the oral report provided by the Secretariat/advisory body. The Bureau recommends the Committee to adopt the following:
"The Committee decided that the site should remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger for another year and that the situation be reviewed at its twentieth session."
However, the Bureau recommended the Committee, before taking this decision, to give the Delegate of Niger the opportunity to provide new information on the situation at the site.
Niger
Documents examined by the Committee
19COM (1995)Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
