Decision : 32 COM 7A.10
Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) (N 573)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Expresses its utmost concern about the continued degradation of the Outstanding Universal Value for which the property was inscribed on the World Heritage List, in particular the reduction in key wildlife populations and the degradation of the vegetation cover as well as about the renewed insecurity in the northern part of the property, which is hampering efforts by the State Party to halt this degradation;
4. Appreciates the support already provided by the international donor community and calls upon it to increase its support to the State Party for the protection and ecological restoration of the property;
5. Notes the State Party's interest in holding a regional workshop looking at the impact of conflict on natural resources and biodiversity in the region and encourages the State Party to collaborate with partners to hold such a workshop with a focus on improving security and protection of World Heritage properties during times of conflict;
6. Requests the State Party to organize, in cooperation with the IUCN Species Survival Commission and its relevant specialist groups, a comprehensive survey of the property, in particular populations' size and distribution of threatened species in order to evaluate the status of its Outstanding Universal Value and to develop population recovery and rehabilitation programmes;
7. Urges the State Party to continue its work on the corrective measures adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005);
8. Reiterates its request to the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the conditions of integrity, as well as a proposal for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a report on the state of conservation of the property, including on the status of the vulnerable species and ecosystems, as well as progress in the implementation of the corrective measures and the implementation of the COGERAT project, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009;
10. Decides to retain Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Original Decision Document