Decision : 32 COM 7A.6
Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 136)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7A,

2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7A.6, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),

3. Expresses its utmost concern as regards the results of the workshop on Survival Strategies for the Northern White Rhino that indicates that the sub-species is in imminent danger of extinction and notes the conclusion of the experts that only the capture and transfer to an appropriate and secure place, beyond the Congolese borders, presents sufficient guarantee for the survival of this sub-species;

4. Notes that a recent search mission has failed to locate any Northern white rhino and underlines the urgency of establishing the number of surviving rhino in the property;

5. Urges the State Party, if remaining Northern white rhino are located, to consider undertaking their translocation from Garamba National Park to a safe place ex situ, including beyond the Congolese borders, to guarantee the survival of the sub-species and with the objective of building up the population in situ as soon as the situation permits, and requests the State Party of the Czech Republic to facilitate the participation of the Dvur Kralove Zoo in this programme;

6. Also requests the State Party, in consultation with ICCN, the management body for the protected areas, to continue the implementation of the corrective measures adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006);

7. Calls upon the State Party to seek cooperation with the United Nations Organization Mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), within its mandate and capabilities, to assist the Park authorities in the framework of its deployment around the property and to support the conservation of the property, in particular as regards disarmament;

8. Further requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, including 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. Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, and in particular on the situation regarding the requested translocation of the last northern white rhino to a secure place, as well as progress accomplished in the implementation of the corrective measures adopted, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009;

10. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring mechanism to the property;

11. Also decides to retain Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.