Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park

• Insecurity and porosity of borders
• Poaching
• Artisanal mining
• Transboundary transhumance and illegal grazing
• Illegal fishing
• Illegal occupation of the property
• Lack of protection and management measures
• Petroleum exploration activities

• Illegal grazing
• Uncontrolled poaching by heavily armed groups and the subsequent loss of up to 80% of the Park’s wildlife due to the deteriorating security situation
• Halt to tourism

Not yet identified

Adopted in 2009 and revised in 2019, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/7463

Adopted in 2019, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/7463

Total amount provided: USD 2,250,000 from the Government of Norway from 2021 to 2026

On 1 February 2024 the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/475/documents/, which provides the following information:

• Substantial investment, mainly from the European Union, UNESCO (through funding from the Norwegian government) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), has been made to strengthen operational capacity for monitoring and managing the property, particularly for staff (eco-guards, eco-supervisors and transhumance regulators), ecological monitoring, the rehabilitation of infrastructure (crossing points, checkpoints, boreholes, etc.) and the acquisition of equipment (motorbikes, navigation and data collection equipment, etc.). Income-generating activities (IGAs) have also been carried out in the villages around the property. Funding has been obtained to continue these activities, notably from the European Union as part of the NaturAfrica programme;
• The process of securing of the priority conservation area of the property has been progressing gradually since 2021 and now stands at 8,749 km², or around 50 per cent of the surface area of the property, remaining close to the target of securing 63% of the surface area of the property by the end of 2024. The conservation areas that serve as a buffer zone in the southern part of the property, covering an area of 3,504 km², have been secured since 2021;
• Biomonitoring efforts carried out in 2023 in the priority conservation zone and the buffer zone recorded 5,554 signs of the presence of fauna of 30 species, including savannah elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, hippopotamus, Buffon’s kob and Defassa waterbuck, buffalo, bongo, Derby eland and crocodile, among others, indicating that the population of flagship species has remained stable since 2021;
• Anti-poaching missions (LAB) carried out in 2023 indicate a significant reduction in poaching indicators (arrests, weapons seizures, camps, etc.) since 2021;
• Various awareness-raising and data collection missions to local communities carried out by transhumance regulators (Tango) indicate a considerable increase in the number of herds of cattle, sheep, horses and camels crossing the property;
• Concerning the project to rehabilitate national road 8 Ndélé–Birao, the executive summary of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is available and steps are being taken to mobilize the additional financial resources needed to cover the additional costs incurred in bypassing the property;
• Aerial survey operations are carried out on a daily basis to monitor the influx of illegal gold miners in the north-eastern part of the property;
• The proposal to create the Northeast Protected Area Complex (NPAC) of the Central African Republic biosphere reserve (of which the property forms a part) was approved by the international coordinating council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme in June 2023;
• The State Party invites a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN reactive monitoring mission before the end of 2024, to check achievement of the action plan indicators in order to decide on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property.

The efforts made by the State Party and its technical and financial partners to improve the management of the property, address the threats affecting the property and implement corrective measures are very much welcomed. The progress made in implementing the activities set out in the 2022–2024 action plan drawn up to confirm the possibility of regenerating the OUV of the property is also encouraging. The surface area of the priority conservation area of the secured property has been progressing gradually since 2021 and now stands at 8,749 km², or around 50 per cent of the surface area of the property, remaining close to the target of securing 63% of the surface area of the property by the end of 2024. It is therefore recommended that the technical and financial partners supporting the conservation of the property be thanked and that the State Party be encouraged to continue these efforts and ensure that all of the actions in the 2022–2024 action plan are fully implemented.

Confirmation of the presence of a relict population of the flagship species mentioned above is also very encouraging. On the basis of the biomonitoring data available, it should now be possible for the State Party to establish wildlife indicators to develop the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). It is recommended that the State Party develop a draft DSOCR and submit it to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN for review.

Efforts to monitor the influx of illegal gold miners into the north-eastern part of the property by means of aerial survey are noted, but no information is presented on the impact of these activities on the property and the trends of each of these threats in response to the multiple actions undertaken.

Confirmation that the project to rehabilitate National Road 8 Ndélé–Birao will bypass the property and that efforts are under way to mobilize financial resources to cover the additional cost of bypassing the property is appreciated. However, although the State Party provided information regarding the availability of the Executive Summary, it did not provide an update on the status of finalization of ESIA for this project. Furthermore, this study was not forwarded to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, as requested by the Committee.

No update has been reported on the previously mentioned suspension of oil exploration activities on the property. Recalling that the State Party had proposed a field mission with representatives of the Ministry of Geology and Mines to definitively clarify the situation of Oil Block A and Exploration Blocks I, II and III, it is recommended that the State Party be invited to provide an update in its next report. It is also recommended that the State Party be reminded to ensure that no oil or mining activities are permitted on the property, in accordance with national legislation and the property’s World Heritage status.

The creation of the Northeast Protected Area Complex biosphere reserve (of which the property is a part) is welcomed. The reserve’s zoning and planning system offers an opportunity to ensure better protection of the property. To this end, it is recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to consider creating a buffer zone for the property that is in conformity with the zoning of the biosphere reserve, to strengthen protection of the property.

The invitation of the State Party to carry out a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property before the end of 2024 is noted in the context of the analysis of the 2019 mission and the analysis of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN presented in the state of conservation report presented at the extended 45th session, according to which a mission should be planned from 2025 onwards. While welcoming the State Party’s efforts in implementing the corrective measures, and also recognizing the need for further progress and indicators for the DSOCR, the period from 2025 still seems appropriate for the next mission.

Finally, it is recommended that the Committee keep the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism.