Ethiopian Government State Party Report on the Conservation of the World Natural Heritage Site, Simien Mountains National Park (Ethiopia)
Creators: name: Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA)
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Ehtiopia
Africa
World heritage
Simien Mountains National Park

description: This report on the state of conservation of the Simen Mountains National Park World Heritage property responds to the World Heritage Committee’s decision 41 COM 7A.13 that was taken at the 41st session of the Committee in Krakow, Poland in July 2017. The Ethiopian government is fully committed to protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. All of the recommendations of the 2017 Reactive Monitoring Mission and requests of the World Heritage Committee are being implemented and considered in the plan of the national park and our development partners working in Simien Mountains National Park. The removal of the SMNP from the World Heritage endangered list was celebrated at the occasion of its 50th year anniversary in October 14th and 15th, 2017. This event was very important in view of recognizing individuals, institutions and development partners who contributed in addressing the corrective measures set by the state parties and ensure the commitment of government and development partners for future development and management of the property. Research and monitoring on the populations of Walia ibex and other endemic species have shown significant increment. The required livelihood improvement strategic document for the relocated Gich community has been completed and its implementation is underway with fund allocated by German Development Bank (KfW). Revision of the existing General Management plan (GMP) and the grazing pressure reduction strategy are underway and both are due to be completed in 2019 and 2018, respectively. We continued implementation of the existing grazing pressure reduction strategy which enables an increase of the no grazing zone of the national park. The construction of the realigned road has not been yet completed but it is on promising progress in line with the suggestion made by 2017 IUCN reactive mission report. Development partners like African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), joined the co-management partnership agreement with Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) to address the livelihood improvement and national park management issues. Accordingly, the Austrian development cooperation committed to allocate € 1 million per annum to the Simien Mountains and Alitash (located in the same district with the property) National Parks for three years from 2018. Significant amount of these funds will support management of the Simien mountains national park, specifically for tourism and livelihood development. Similarly, the German development Bank (KfW) committed to provide € 4.5 million for three years from 2018 for the Simen mountains national park management and development. The KfW fund in SMNP will be managed by AWF. Apart from the German development Bank (KfW) and Austria development cooperation commitments to support the management of the property, the Ethiopian government continues to provide the resources necessary to support management of the property to ensure its Outstanding Universal Value is maintained.