II.1 The proposed agenda was adopted unanimously, without modification. (See Annex II).
III.1 Dr Adul Wichiencharoen (Thailand) was elected by acclamation as Chairperson of the Committee. Mr Zhang Chongli (China) was elected Rapporteur, also by acclamation, and the following members of the Committee were elected as Vice-Chairpersons: Colombia, Germany, Italy, Oman and Senegal.
VI.1 In order to facilitate and speed up the work of the Committee, the Chairperson proposed that two work groups be constituted, one on the World Heritage Fund, the 1995 budget and the further development of the World Heritage Centre, and the other group on the revision of Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the Convention. Upon the suggestion of the Delegate of France, it was agreed that each delegation may participate in the work of both groups if it so wishes. The Committee then approved the Delegate of the United States of America, Mr Robert Milne, as Chairperson of the ...
The Bureau was again informed about the continuing illegal and random cultivation at the site, and noted that no official response had been received from the Tanzanian authorities, although the Cultural Commissioner of Tanzania indicated that a response would be sent to the Centre. The Bureau again expressed its concern and asked the Centre to send a letter to the authorities concerning the ongoing cultivation at site, and requesting them to cooperate with the IUCN mission scheduled for October 1994.
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
VIII.1 This item was discussed first by the Work Group 1, and then by the Committee on the basis of the proposals made by the Work Group. Some of its points were already raised, however, in the presentation by the Director-General's Special Adviser when presenting his recommendations on fund-raising and marketing (summarized in section XV of this report).
VIII.2 Although the shortage of time did not allow a real debate on this item, a number of speakers in Work Group 1 referred to work Document WHC-94/CONF.003/5. The Delegate of Italy reiterated his Delegation's statement, previously ...
18 COM IX.1-19
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural and Natural Properties
IX.1 The Committee examined the working documents that had been prepared for this agenda item by the Secretariat, the advisory bodies IUCN and ICOMOS, and by the UNDP /UNESCO Regional Project for the Cultural, Urban and Environmental Heritage for Latin America and the Caribbean.
SYSTEMATIC MONITORING AND REPORTING
IX.2 In introducing this item the Secretariat recalled that Article 3 of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention stipulates that one of the essential functions of the World Heritage Committee is to "monitor the state of conservation ...
INTRODUCTION
IX.20 The Committee recalled that the World Heritage Committee at its seventeenth session and the Bureau at its eighteenth session examined reports on the state of conservation of seven natural and six cultural properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger and on seventeen natural and fifty-nine cultural properties on the World Heritage List.
IX.21 The Committee commended the States Parties which had responded to its recommendations or observations and urged the States Parties which had not done this, to do so. In this context, the Committee emphasized that, ...
Srebarna Nature Reserve (Bulgaria)
The Committee was informed that the Secretariat is continuously in contact with the Bulgarian authorities, which presented a report on their restoration efforts at the last session of the Bureau and have recently updated this report.
The Committee confirmed the decision of the Bureau at its eighteenth session that a detailed report on conservation measures should be presented to the nineteenth session of the Bureau in 1995. The Committee decided to retain this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Srebarna Nature Reserve
Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)
The site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992. Missions to the site were carried out in 1992 and 1993. Given the fact that there had been a recent outbreak in fighting in the Bihac region, the situation remains critical. The Committee decided, therefore, that another fact-finding mission to this area, particularly to the Korkaova Uvala Virgin forest should take place. The Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The site was inscribed in 1983 and added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 due to' threats from poachers, boundary encroachment and unplanned road construction. The situation at the site was discussed between a representative of the President of Ecuador and World Heritage Centre staff and the Committee's continuous concerns were brought to the attention of the Government of Ecuador.
The Committee decided to retain this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger and that another fact-finding mission should be carried ...
Sites: Sangay National Park
Mount Nimba strict Nature Reserve (Guinea/cote d'Ivoire)
The site was included on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992 because of a proposed iron-ore mining project and threats due to the arrival of a large number of refugees. An expert mission was undertaken in 1993 and proposals to revise the boundaries of the site were endorsed by the seventeenth session of the Committee in 1993. An international assistance project under the World Heritage Fund was carried out in 1994. The Committee was informed that the French Ministry of Cooperation and the Ministry of the Environment in ...
Manas wildlife Sanctuary (India)
At its eighteenth session, the World Heritage Bureau took note of the response by the Indian Government concerning Manas wildlife Sanctuary which was inscribed on the List of World Heritage In Danger in 1992.
The Committee was informed that the Secretariat received a report on the conditions of the site from WWF-India. The report emphasises the critical situation in the area. Furthermore, the Government of India has indicated its interest in a joint mission to the site by World Heritage Centre staff and local NGOs.
The Committee commended the Indian ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Aïr-Tenere Natural Nature Reserves (Niger)
The Committee was informed that the wildlife in this site has been decimated due to the consequences of the conflict between the Resistance Army of the Tuaregs and Government forces. Hence, the Committee was encouraged to note that the warring parties had signed a peace accord on 9 October 1994. The implementation of this accord by the new Government is however an essential prerequisite for the conservation of this site. The Committee requested the Centre to write to the new Government, recalling Niger's international obligations under the ...
Everglades National Park (United States of America)
The site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1993 due to an increasing number of threats since the date of its inscription on the List in 1979. The State and Federal Governments and the Agricultural Industry are providing significant financial support for the management of the site and for its long-term restoration in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars. The American authorities had prepared a report for the eighteenth session of the Committee.
The Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
Virunga National Park (Zaire)
The Committee recalled that at its last session it was deeply concerned about the civil unrest in Zaire which led to donors (EEC and USAID) suspending their support to this site. Many Park staff had not been remunerated for almost a year. Despite the fact the Bureau granted emergency assistance of US$ 20,000 to meet costs of field operations, poaching of wildlife has continued and the capability of staff to patrol the 650 km long boundary of the Park remains far below desirable levels. Human population in the fishing village near Lake Idi Amin has grown ...
Sites: Virunga National Park
Great Barrier Reef National Park (Australia)
The Committee was informed that the Minister of Environment, Australia, has temporarily halted a 1500-bed, resort development project immediately adjacent to the boundary of this site to allow for a study of potential impacts on the World Heritage site. The Committee requested the Centre to write to the Minister of Environment, Australia, expressing support for his efforts to protect this site from the impacts of the proposed large scale tourism development project.
Sites: Great Barrier Reef
Shark Bay (Australia)
The Committee recalled that at the time of inscription of this site it requested IUCN to report back on the progress with respect to (1) implementation of the Commonwealth/State management agreement and (2) efforts to achieve more effective conservation of the site.
As the Government of Australia had assured that the October 1990 agreement was to provide the management framework for this site, the Committee was concerned that most of the provisions of the agreement have not been operationalised. Therefore, the Centre wrote to the Australian authorities requesting ...
Sites: Shark Bay, Western Australia
Mount Athos (Greece)
A report prepared by WWF and Ecumenical Patriachate of Constantinople (EPC) has pointed out that the ecology of this site is being impacted by overgrazing, chemical pollution and forestry activities. In early December the World Heritage Centre received a letter from the Greek authorities outlining the measures which are being implemented to address these concerns. The Committee requested that a field review together with the appropriate Greek authorities be carried out to evaluate these conflicting reports.
Sites: Mount Athos
Willandra Lakes Region (Australia)
The Committee was informed of IUCN's field evaluation report on the state of conservation of this property. It requested the Australian authorities to review the boundaries of the site and to continue their recent progress in improving the management of the site.
Sites: Willandra Lakes Region
Keoladeo National Park (India)
The Committee recalled that this site was inscribed on the World Heritage List because of its importance as a wintering ground for the Siberian crane. At the time of inscription in 1985, there were 41 cranes which wintered in Keoladeo National Park. The Committee was informed that in 1994, no Siberian cranes wintered in Keolodeo; it was thought that due to hunting along their migratory routes in Afghanistan and Pakistan the population which used Keoladeo for wintering appears to have been extirpated. The Committee therefore requested that the Centre write ...
Sites: Keoladeo National Park