Simien National Park

• Road construction through the property
• Power transmission line affecting exceptional natural beauty and conditions of integrity
• Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
• Agricultural encroachment at the borders of the property and crop cultivation in the property
• Growing resource-dependent, economically poor population around the national park
• Overgrazing by livestock
• Human-wildlife conflict, including fatal leopard attacks, livestock predation and crop-raiding
• Declining populations of Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf and other large mammal species
• Poaching in remote areas, including of Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf
• Impacts and risks associated with tourism development and visitation
• Management suffering from scarce human and financial resources
• Limited local participation in management and governance
• Pending Significant Boundary Modification to recognize the substantial expansion of the national park
• Uncommon precipitation and temperature patterns over recent years attributed to climate change

• Major declines of the Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf populations and of other large mammals
• Agricultural encroachment at the borders of the property
• Impacts of road construction through the property

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4085 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4085 

Total amount granted: USD 100,000 (2012-2015) in support of community conservation programme with co-financing from Global Environment Fund (GEF) and development of the grazing pressure reduction strategy (UNESCO-Spain-Funds-in Trust and UNESCO-Netherlands-Funds-in-Trust)

On 30 November 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/9/documents/, and reports the following:

• The 2020-2030 General Management Plan (GMP) of the property is being implemented since 2020. It has fully considered the protection of the property and its buffer zone, with targets to protect and promote the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), including to maintain the natural beauty and landscapes of the property;
• Implementation of the specific monitoring protocols for key species (Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf, and Gelada monkey) over the last two years under the GMP monitoring and evaluation plan included seasonal species censuses, wildlife disease monitoring, conflict management, and habitat quality, as well as quality control measures;
• A 2021 Ethiopian wolf camera trap census recorded 90 individuals, which was considered consistent with previous 2014, 2019 and 2020 Ethiopia Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCP) data. The 2021 Walia ibex census recorded 601 individuals, a 13% decline compared to previous surveys;
• The Tourism Management Plan sets out priorities for the next ten years in four areas: product development, visitor services, community tourism development, and management and funding;
• A number of lodge investment requests inside the property have been cancelled due to their potential negative impact on the OUV and efforts are underway to find alternative sites outside the property. Kibran lodge is under construction and Jacaranda lodge has not yet started. A lodge proposal in the west of the park will be completed this year. The Tourism Management Plan advises having tourist lodges outside the property and tourism infrastructure is required to pass the Environmental Social Management Framework (ESMF) with bigger eco-lodges requiring Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
• An integrated fire management strategy developed by the management authority and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is being implemented. Fire related training was undertaken;
• Implementation of the Grazing Pressure Reduction Strategy (GPRS) is continuing with local communities, with 75% of the property free from livestock grazing, which is lower than 78% reported in the previous report due to instability and internal conflict affecting the park in 2021/2022;
• Several initiatives are underway with AWF and the German Development Bank (KfW) to support the management of the property;
• Continued support is provided to the relocated Gich community through a number of sustainable livelihood projects implemented by AWF and the management authority;
• The State Party requested financial support from UNESCO for the development of a new nomination dossier and the establishment of the buffer zone. The requested harmonization of the name of the property will be addressed through the nomination process;
• The construction of the alternative road was hampered by COVID-19 and security issues but is now continuing. The realignment of the power transmission line has been put on hold until the realigned road construction is completed.

The report referred to the following documents, as annexes, which were not included: the Tourism Management Plan, EIAs for the Jacaranda and Kibran lodges, and an integrated fire management strategy. On 13 February and 17 April 2023, the World Heritage Centre followed up with the State Party requesting these documents. No response had been provided at the time of writing of this report.

The continued efforts of the State Party, with support from partners AWF and KfW, to address Committee decisions are welcomed. The finalization and implementation of the GMP for the property is positive. Although no details are provided regarding how the aesthetic values of the property under criterion (vii) will be managed, the State Party’s confirmation that the GMP fully considers the protection of the OUV and that targets have been developed to maintain the natural beauty and landscapes of the property is noted. In this regard, the protection of the OUV, under both criteria (vii) and (x), should remain the primary management objective during the implementation of the GMP. The State Party should be requested to submit a copy of the GMP to the World Heritage Centre.

It is welcomed that the monitoring protocols for the three flagship species have been initiated and that quality control measures are reported to be included. Whilst noting that no information was provided on the Gelada, these protocols will allow the authorities to establish a consistent long-term monitoring approach to inform the protection and management of key species on the property. The results of the monitoring of the Ethiopian wolf, which show populations are stable, are encouraging, but the recorded 13% decrease in the Walia ibex population is of concern. It is recommended that the State Party further conducts research to identify the causes for this decline and takes appropriate actions to address these, including by seeking advice from the IUCN Species Survival Commission as needed.

It is recalled that the Tourism Development Plan provided by the State Party with its 2022 state of conservation report, was considered to be a positive starting point to address tourism development, but it lacked a management strategy to strategically assess how the impacts from the proposed tourism development will be monitored and managed, and the State Party was requested to develop a specific Tourism Management Plan. Although the current report refers to an appended Tourism Management Plan, it is regrettable that no such plan was provided and it is unclear whether the State Party has addressed the Committee’s request.

Although it is positive that a number of lodge investment requests inside the property have been cancelled, it is concerning that lodges continue to be constructed inside the property. Recalling the Committee’s request not to permit the development of tourism infrastructure inside the property and to submit EIAs for all proposed lodges to the World Heritage Centre, the State Party should be urged again to suspend these and ensure their potential impacts on the OUV are assessed in line with the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context. The EIAs should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review before taking any decision that would be difficult to reverse. It is also regrettable that the EIAs for the Jacaranda and Kibran lodges were not appended as stated.

It is positive that a fire management strategy has been developed and training activities undertaken. However, no information was provided on the affected area, impacts or recovery, and the fire management strategy was not appended as stated. The State Party should be requested again to provide further information on the affected area and impact on the OUV, to monitor the recovery of vegetation, and to submit the fire management strategy as soon as possible.

The continued implementation of the GPRS to further reduce livestock grazing from within the property is appreciated and efforts to address this issue should be continued.

The continued support to provide sustainable livelihoods to the relocated Gich community and other local communities is appreciated and should also be continued.

Noting the additional delays incurred, the State Party’s continued commitment to developing a Significant Boundary Modification proposal for the entire Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP), including through an International Assistance request, and the intention to simultaneously formalize the buffer zone for the property and harmonize the names of the SMNP and the property, are welcomed.

The reported continuation of the alternative road project is noted; however, the repeatedly requested EIA for the part of the road crossing the SMNP should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible. Whilst noting the realignment of the transmission line has been suspended until completion of the road, it is important to recall the potential impact of this project on the outstanding natural beauty and conditions of integrity of the property, and the State Party should be requested again to assess the potential impacts, in line with the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and to submit the EIA to the World Heritage Centre for review prior to commencing any activity.