Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
Factors affecting the property in 2000*
- Financial resources
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
- Illegal activities
- Management systems/ management plan
- Mining
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Lack of Management Plan;
- Lack of funding;
- Poaching;
- New railway;
- Mining;
- Proposed reduction of the protected area;
- Refugees from Liberia
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2000
Total amount approved : 375,222 USD
Missions to the property until 2000**
November 1988: June-July 1992: UNESCO field visit; May 1993: joint UNESCO/UNDP/IUCN mission; 1994: 2nd expert mission; August-September 2000: expert mission with UNDP
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2000
Summary of previous deliberations:
Twenty-third session of the Committee – paragraph number – X.7
Twenty-third ordinary session of the Bureau – paragraph number – IV.6
New information: A representative of CEGEN (Centre for Environmental Management of Mount Nimba) visited the Centre during 17 – 21 April 2000 and discussed several initiatives currently underway to revive international co-operation for the protection of Mt. Nimba. The feasibility study phase of a GEF project has already commenced and is expected to be followed by a medium-sized GEF grant. There are negotiations between GEF and other potential donors for mobilising additional resources for the long-term conservation of Mt. Nimba. The Centre has had discussions with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on possible collaboration to develop a project concept to address impacts and pressures caused by refugees resident in and around this site that straddles the border between Guinea and Côte d‘Ivoire. The representative of the CEGEN informed the Centre staff that under the framework of the GEF project a sub-regional meeting of Guinea and Côte d‘Ivoire, as well as Liberia which also has parts of the Mt. Nimba ecosystem, and all concerned stakeholders is likely to be convened in the near future and that CEGEN will invite participation of the Centre and IUCN at that meeting. The meeting will provide an opportuntity for implementing the recommendation of the Committee, made at its twenty-second (Kyoto, 1998) and twenty-third (Marrakesh, 1999) sessions, that IUCN‘s West Africa Office undertake a mission to the site and prepare a detailed state of conservation report.
Action Required
The Bureau notes with satisfaction that new opportunities for strengthening conservation of this transborder World Heritage area are emerging under the GEF project. The Bureau requests the Centre to co-operate with CEGEN and GEF in order to expedite the fielding of an IUCN mission to the site and the preparation of a detailed state of conservation report. In addition, the Bureau recommends that IUCN and the Centre co-operate with the State Party and possible donors to establish a long-term financial mechanism, such as the setting up of a Foundation for Mt. Nimba as suggested by the past sessions of the Bureau and the Committee, for the conservation of Mt. Nimba. The Bureau recommends that the Committee retain this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2000
At its twenty-fourth ordinary session (26 June - 1 July, 2000; Paris) the Bureau approved a sum of US$ 30,000 to strengthen institutional capacity of the Centre for Environmental Management of Mt. Nimba (CEGEN) and to support a consultant mission to the site to review the state of conservation of the site. The mission was also expected to explore with UNDP, the role of CEGEN in the implementation of the GEF project for the management of Mt. Nimba and participatory development in lands adjoining the site. The three-week mission of the consultant began on 24 August 2000; preliminary information received from the consultant reveal that the site is heavily degraded. Since 1996, settlers in the buffer zone have exploited the forests. A more detailed report of the consultant’s mission is expected shortly.
At a World Heritage and Mining Technical Workshop, held at IUCN Headquarters from 20-23 September, 2000, the case of Mt. Nimba was discussed and participants noted that key issues at this site include: (a) the need for clear boundary demarcation, taking into consideration the boundaries proposed at the time of inscription and changes proposed subsequently; (b) the need for effective transboundary co-operation between the two States Parties (Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire) as well as Liberia which has yet to ratify the Convention; and (c) the need to stimulate fund-raising efforts for this site, based on previous proposals and recommendations, including those made by the Committee concerning the establishment of a fund or a foundation for the conservation of Mt. Nimba.
The Director General of CEGEN is due to make a presentation on the case of Mt. Nimba at the Centre/IUCN workshop on the "Role of World Heritage in Danger Listing in Promoting International Co-operation for the Conservation of World Natural Heritage", in Amman, Jordan, during 6-7 October 2000.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2000
24 BUR IV.A.8
Mount Nimba Nature Reserve (Guinea/Côte d'Ivoire)
The Bureau was informed of a meeting between a representative of CEGEN (Centre for Environmental Management of Mount Nimba) and Centre staff during the Representative's visit to the Centre from 17 to 21 April 2000. The Bureau noted with satisfaction several initiatives currently underway to revive international co-operation for the protection of Mt. Nimba. The feasibility study phase of a GEF project has already commenced and is expected to be followed by a medium-sized (US$ 300,000 or more) GEF grant. There are negotiations between GEF and other potential donors for mobilising additional resources for the long-term conservation of Mt. Nimba. The Centre has had discussions with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on possible collaboration to develop a project concept to address impacts and pressures caused by refugees resident in and around this site that straddles the border between Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire. The Representative of the CEGEN informed the Centre that under the framework of the GEF project a sub-regional meeting of Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, as well as Liberia which also has parts of the Mt. Nimba ecosystem, and all concerned stakeholders is likely to be convened in the near future and that CEGEN will invite participation of the Centre and IUCN at that meeting. The meeting will provide an opportunity for implementing the recommendation of the Committee, made at its twenty-second (Kyoto, 1998) and twenty-third (Marrakesh, 1999) sessions, that IUCN's West Africa Office undertake a mission to the site and prepare a detailed state of conservation report. Furthermore, the Bureau noted that the Centre has established contacts with Birdlife International and Fauna and Flora International (FFI) which is developing initiatives for conservation of the Mt. Nimba ecosystem in Côte d‘Ivoire and encouraged the Centre to effectively use these opportunities to develop a harmonised transborder approach to the conservation of the Mt. Nimba ecosystem.
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that new opportunities for strengthening conservation of this transborder World Heritage area are emerging under the GEF project. The Bureau requested the Centre to co-operate with CEGEN and GEF as well as the relevant authorities in Guinea and Côte d‘Ivoire in order to expedite the fielding of an IUCN mission to the site and the preparation of a detailed state of conservation report. In addition, the Bureau recommended that IUCN and the Centre co-operate with the States Parties and possible donors to re-explore possibilities for establishing a long-term financial mechanism, such as the setting up of a Foundation for Mt. Nimba, as suggested by the past sessions of the Bureau and the Committee, for the conservation of Mt. Nimba. The Bureau recommended that the Committee retain this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
24 COM VIII.9
Mount Nimba Nature Reserve (Guinea/Côte d'Ivoire)
VIII.9 Mount Nimba Nature Reserve (Guinea/Côte d'Ivoire)
The Committee noted that at a World Heritage and Mining Technical Workshop, held at IUCN Headquarters from 20- 23 September, 2000, the case of Mt. Nimba was discussed and participants noted that key issues at this site include: (a) the need for clear boundary demarcation, taking into consideration the boundaries proposed at the time of inscription and changes proposed subsequently; (b) the need for effective transboundary co-operation between the two States Parties (Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire) as well as Liberia, which has yet to ratify the Convention; and (c) the need to stimulate fund-raising efforts for this site, based on previous proposals and recommendations, including those made by the Committee concerning the establishment of a fund or a foundation for the conservation of Mt. Nimba. The Director General of CEGEN (Centre for Environmental Management of Mt. Nimba), presented a paper at the Amman Workshop which reiterated the findings reported at the World Heritage and Mining Workshop referred to above. In that context, the Committee recommended that the Centre and IUCN cooperate with CEGEN and relevant authorities in Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia to address points (a), (b) and (c), as described above, and prepare an action plan describing specific measures to be taken within a defined time period. The Committee retained the site in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee may wish to review new information that may be available at the time of its session and take necessary decisions and recommend appropriate actions for the consideration of the State Party, advisory bodies and the Centre.
Côte d'Ivoire 
Guinea
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.
