NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE CONSERVATION OF THE VICTORIA FALLS WORLD HERITAGE SITE MONDAY NOVEMBER 6,2006
INTRODUCTION
The report provides a synopsis of the National Consultative Meeting on the Conservation of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site (WHS) held at New Fairmount Hotel, November 8, 2006.
This was held in the wake of the untoward development in the WHS and non-implementation of the Addendum to the SEA Report: Proceedings and Recommendations of the Bi-national Sustainable Development Workshop held in Livingstone, Zambia, January 2002 following recent calls and concerns raised by UNESCO.
The report commences with the official opening speech delivered by the Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe and subsequent presentations ending with resolutions and annex.
Official Opening Speech - Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe
The PS opened the meeting by expressing concern why it had taken too long to hold one. In his speech he said:
. Participants should find solutions to concerns threatening the sustainable development of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.
. Government attached great importance to heritage resources in tourism promotion.
. Livingstone was core of tourism activities with the Victoria Falls playing a pivotal role.
. Uncoordinated developments were threatening the integrity of the Victoria Falls environment,
. A Bi-National Sustainable Development Workshop held between Zambia and Zimbabwe in January 2002 led to the production of the Addendum to the 1996 SEA Report following UNESCO's concern over the untoward development in the Victoria Falls environment
He further noted that the Bi-national Workshop resolved to address transboundary management issues by:
> planning and managing the biophysical resources
> planning and managing socio-economic development
> recommending on issues contentious in nature, and
> recommending on zoning guidelines
The PS challenged participants to be practical in their deliberations and that:
- They should reach approved recommendations for easy government implementation. - Speed up the process and pass resolutions as soon as possible and forward them to relevant authorities immediately. He concluded that time wasters aimed at frustrating government effort to exploit tourism in the nation would not be tolerated.
REACTIONS TO SPEECH
Failure to implement recommendations in the Addendum to the 1996 SEA Report was: . a serious omission
. due to a weak foundation Le. the protected area in Zimbabwe followed the riparian, while in Zambia it was the land.
PREAMBLE OF BI-NATIONAL WORKSHOP
National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) Executive Director gave a background to the Bi-National Workshop protocol on cooperation on the sustainable management and development of the Victoria Falls / Mosi-Oa-Tunya World Heritage Conservation Commission Site and its surrounding area (30Km radius).
The participants were taken through the Articles that the Contracting Parties (Zambia/Zimbabwe) had agreed upon as in the Addendum to the 1996 SEA Report.
PRESENTATION BY UNESCO
The UNESCO expressed great unhappiness and the following concerns in the manner issues were being:
a) Lots of things in the Bi-National Workshop report which should have been done were implemented. It was thus feared that the status of the Victoria Falls could be lost to the detriment of Zambia noting it would be hard to recommend farther sites in future to UNESCO on the World Heritage having failed to manage the only WHS - Victoria Falls.
0 In this light, UNESCO urged Zambia to be reactive to the demands before it is too late 'and that it should adhere to the PS' directive to adhere to time frame of November to implement the Bi-National Workshop recommendations,
b) It was further disclosed:
0 that UNESCO-Zambia had set up a Board of Commissioners with 16 seats.
0 IUCNIWHC were coming to Zimbabwe and that Zambia should be ready for them and see how it could be helped.
c) Further concerns included:
THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE DECISION 30 Having examined Document WHC-06/30. COM/7B:
. Noted with concern that the recommendations of the 2002 bi-laterals workshop have not been implemented;
. Regretted that the integrity of the world heritage property remains threatened by uncontrolled urban development;
. Urged both States Parties to urgently follow up on the recommendations of the 2002 bilateral workshop and in particular an effective joint management framework to address the ongoing threats; and requested the States Parties to set a firm schedule for their follow -up;
. Also requested both to invite a joint World Heritage Centre IICUCN mission
. Failure to address these concerns by States Parties risked placing Victoria Falls under "World Heritage in danger".
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