Decision 46 COM 7A.53

Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) (N 573)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined document WHC/24/46.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7A.12 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Notes positively the State Party’s sustained efforts to implement the corrective measures and the 2022–2024 Development and Management Plan (DPM) and requests that it pursue their implementation as a matter of urgency;
4. Adopts the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) presented by the State Party as supplementary information to this report on the state of conservation of the property and also requests that the State Party ensure its effective implementation in a timely manner, in close collaboration with technical and financial partners, the World Heritage Centre and the various specialist groups of the Species Survival Commission (SSC), where applicable;
5. Thanks the technical and financial partners supporting conservation of the property, in particular the NGOs Wild Africa Conservation and Sahara Conservation, as well as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Norway, and appeals to the international community and technical and financial partners to further support the efforts of the State Party, in order to ensure sustainable funding for the successful implementation of DPM and achievement of DSOCR;
6. Notes positively the deployment of Water and Forestry Officers within the property, supported by Eco-guards, volunteer valley chiefs and community workers, and urges the State Party to recruit, train, equip and assign sufficient staff to ensure effective management of the property, implement DPM and achieve DSOCR;
7. Welcomes the reported progress in restoring the degraded areas as well as in controlling the invasive alien species (IAS) Prosopis juliflora within the property, regrets that the State Party has not provided sufficient details on the strategy for controlling IAS and further requests that the State Party continue efforts to restore vegetation cover and provide clarification on the strategy for controlling IAS within the property, as well as the detailed results;
8. Takes note of the general decisions on the temporary suspension of exploration and operation authorizations and mining permit renewals as of 26 July 2023 and furthermore requests that the State Party provide updated information on the nature and status of the previous permits, in particular those located on the south-eastern boundary of the property, and ensure that the impacts of planned operations on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property are assessed within the framework of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), in accordance with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, before any decision is taken, and that any proposal likely to have a negative impact on the OUV cannot be authorized;
9. Notes with appreciation the absence of cases of poaching and the new confirmation of the presence of certain species characteristic of the OUV of the property, also regrets that details of the patrol effort and population trends have not been provided and once again reiterates its request that maps be provided showing the location of the main threats identified, notably illegal gold panning and abusive logging within the property, together with indications of their severity and extent and the actions taken to combat them;
10. Also takes note of the activities envisaged by the State Party to rebuild the dorcas and dama gazelle herds, as well as its ongoing breeding of red-necked ostriches, reiterates its concern that the situation of certain species characteristic of the property’s OUV remains a matter of serious concern and further requests that the State Party continue its efforts and extend them to other species characteristic of the property’s OUV, in particular the Barbary sheep, addax, cheetah and spotted hyena, as described in the DSOCR;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2025, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and implementation of the above-mentioned points, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session;
12. Decides to retain the Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.