Virunga National Park

• Armed conflict, lack of security and political instability
• Attribution of a petroleum exploration permit inside the property
• Poaching by the army and armed groups
• Encroachment
• Extension of illegal fishing areas
• Deforestation, charcoal production and cattle grazing

• Increased poaching of wildlife
• Incapability of staff to patrol the 650 km long boundary of the Park
• Massive influx of 1 million refugees occupying adjacent parts of the Park
• Widespread depletion of forests in the lowlands.

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4338

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4338

Total amount granted: USD 1,731,000 from the United Nations Foundation and the Governments of: Italy, Belgium and Spain, and the French-speaking Community of Belgium as well as the Rapid Response Facility (RRF).

On 16 February 2015, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/63/documents/ (pages 33 – 44). The report notes the following points:

• It is recalled that the oil company SOCO announced in June 2014 that it would stop its activities in Virunga National Park unless the Congolese Government and UNESCO agree that these activities can be compatible with its World Heritage Status. No confirmation is provided on whether the Congolese Government has cancelled the oil exploration licenses covering the property, as was requested by the Committee;
• Security in the site has been improving, following several military operations against rebel groups and efforts to demobilize rebel forces. Nevertheless, security remains problematic especially in the northern and central areas of the property where military operations are still underway. The total number of rebel groups operating in the property diminished from 13 to 8. As part of a new stabilization plan, 600 soldiers of the Congolese Army have been removed from the site, and a new contingent of 280 soldiers is placed under the command of the park authorities for joint operations. 107 new guards were recruited and trained, bringing the total number to 480. Consequently, the number of ranger patrols was increased by 54%, resulting in 75% of the site now covered by patrols;
• Elephant poaching has diminished, with 13 cases recorded in 2014 compared to 25 in 2013;
• Some progress was made on the critical issue of encroachment, with close to 50 km² evacuated at Ndwali. It is planned to re-launch the process of peaceful evacuations this year;
• Deforestation for charcoal production is a continued problem, involving mostly Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels, which continue to occupy large areas on the western borders of the park. The park is continuing its efforts to provide alternatives through the Virunga Alliance, mainly through the development of hydropower on the rivers originating from the site, which is thought to potentially be an important factor to jumpstart development in the areas neighboring the park, which are characterized by high levels of poverty.
• The Management Plan of the Park was validated and approved by the General Directorate of ICCN.

Further details on the implementation of the corrective measures are available in the report.

While noting the commitment by SOCO, it needs to be pointed out that the company made it at a time when its seismic exploration activities in the property were being finalized. According to a statement of the company, it is expected that the results will be available by mid-2015. However, the main concern is that so far, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has not cancelled the oil exploration permits granted within the property, as requested by the World Heritage Committee. On 8 January 2015, the Delegation Heads of the European Union, World Bank, UNESCO and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) and the Ambassadors of Germany and Canada sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister expressing concern that the oil exploration permits covering the property have not yet been cancelled, recalling the commitments made by the State Party in the Kinshasa Declaration. In his reply, the Prime Minister pointed out that no decision has been made on authorizing oil exploitation in the park and that in the event DRC would want to go forward with oil exploitation, it would seek a minor boundary modification, citing the case of Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania). It should be recalled that the Committee approved the boundary modification of Selous Game Reserve in an “exceptional and unique” manner (Decision 36 COM 8B.43). UNESCO replied to the Prime Minister, in April 2015, to explain that the situation of both properties are not comparable, and recalled that in both cases the process of significant modifications of boundaries should be applied. 

It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its established position that oil exploration or exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, which is supported by the commitments made by industry leaders such as Shell and Total not to undertake such activities within World Heritage properties.  Furthermore, modifications to boundaries of World Heritage properties that are related to extractive industry should be dealt with through the procedure for significant modifications of boundaries, in accordance with Paragraph 165 of the Operational Guidelines given the potential impact of such projects on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The Committee is also recommended to recall that the Statement of OUV of the property refers on several occasions to the importance of Lake Edward and its floodplains and therefore removing this area from the property would significantly affect its OUV.

The improved security situation in the property reported by the State Party is noted, although at least 8 armed groups are still operating within its boundaries and military operations are continuing to affect parts of the property. It is especially encouraging that patrol coverage has increased to 75% of the park, and that park staff are now in control of all remaining important areas for large mammals in the property. Indicators show improving trends for gorillas and hippopotamus, and stabilization of the number of elephants.

It is hoped that these positive developments will expedite the implementation of the corrective measures adopted by the Committee. In particular, it is hoped that progress can be made in addressing the crucial issue of encroachment. The 2014 Reactive Monitoring mission estimated the total encroachment at 8 to 9% of the surface of the park. Many areas have been occupied for more than 10 years now and it will become more and more complicated to evacuate them. It is therefore crucial that the improvement of security is used as an opportunity to re-launch the dialogue with the communities and to proceed with the evacuation process. It is important that the provincial and national authorities fully support this process.

It is recommended that the Committee express its encouragement to the work of the Virunga Alliance, which aims to support sustainable economic development around the park and that it encourages private, bilateral and multilateral donors to support this initiative.

It is also recommended that the Committee retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism.

General Decision on the properties of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Current conservation issues

On 17 February 2015, the State Party submitted a report on the implementation of Decision 38 COM 7A.42, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/136/documents/ (pages 7– 9). The report notes the following progress in the implementation of the Kinshasa Declaration:

• In August 2014, the National Superior Defence Council, chaired by the President of the Republic, announced that instructions were given to reinforce security in the protected areas of the country and to strengthen the capacity of the park guards with assistance from the army;
• In November 2014, the Vice Prime Minister reiterated the commitment of the Government to implement the Declaration;
• A special anti-poaching brigade is being created in order to assist in protecting national parks. The Presidential Decree underway will formalize its creation;
• The cooperation with the army has been greatly improved;
• Efforts are underway to ensure that the mining cadastre includes updated information on the location of protected areas in order to ensure that there is no overlap between concessions and protected areas;
• The Interministerial Committee has not yet been officially established, but several interministerial meetings were held to discuss issues related to protected areas. At provincial level, these issues are dealt with by the Provincial Consultative Councils on Forests;
• The Strategic Plan of Action, which was adopted at the high level meeting of 2011, will be updated in 2015.

The report further notes that the new Hydrocarbons Code was adopted by both the Parliament and the Senate, but will still be discussed in the mixed Committee of the two Chambers, allowing for further discussion on Article 160, which foresees the possibility of degazetment of protected areas to allow for oil exploitation.

In relation to the oil exploration in Virunga, it is noted that the Government is planning to submit to the World Heritage Centre a proposal with “options for exception mechanisms for further negotiation”. This seems to be in line with the reply by the Prime Minister to the letter of 8 January by the Delegation Heads of the European Union, World Bank, UNESCO and United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Ambassadors of Germany and Canada, where he pointed out that in the event the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) would want to go forward with oil exploitation, it would seek a minor boundary modification (see also report on Virunga National Park, item 4 of Document WHC-15/39.COM/7A).

Analysis and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN

The statement by the Vice Prime Minister of DRC reiterating the commitment of the Government to implement the Kinshasa Declaration should be welcomed. In particular, it is encouraging that concrete measures have been taken to implement one of the most important elements of the Declaration, namely to create the conditions for implementation of the corrective measures by securing the sites.

The intention to create a special anti-poaching brigade is also noted. Widespread poaching is without doubt the single most important threat to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of all five properties. Results of the different inventories clearly show that since the start of the conflict, the biodiversity values of the properties have been seriously affected and their populations of emblematic species, such as Northern White Rhino, Okapi, Grauer’s Gorilla, Bonobo and Elephant, were severely reduced. Decisive action is needed to turn the tide. Recently, the increasing demand for ivory has in particular further increased pressure on the remaining Elephant populations. It is estimated that the DRC Elephant population, most of which is living in the World Heritage properties, has dwindled by over 90%, from more than 100 000 at the start of the 1980s to less than 10 000 today. Securing the sites and strengthening anti-poaching efforts are important, but additional efforts will be needed in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to identify and take legal action against the criminal networks involved in the illegal traffic. Efforts to reduce demand in consumer countries are also needed.

The reported efforts to ensure that the mining cadastre uses accurate mapping information of the properties to avoid the attribution of mining concessions overlapping with the properties also responds to a long standing demand of the Committee. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its requests to the State Party to annul all existing permits, which overlap with any of the properties.

It is also recommended that the Committee express its utmost concern about Article 160 of the new Code for Hydrocarbons, which foresees the possibility of degazetting protected areas, including World Heritage properties, as well as the statement made by the Prime Minister of DRC that the State Party might seek a boundary modification of Virunga National Park to allow for oil exploration activities to proceed. These are in clear contradiction to the Kinshasa Declaration, which committed to uphold the protection status of the properties. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its position on this issue, as expressed in previous decisions.