Zimbabwe and Zambia to present joint report on Victoria Falls

Sifelani Tsiko

Innovations Editor

Zimbabwe and Zambia are expected to present a joint state of conservation report of the Victoria Falls shared by the two countries at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee currently underway in New Delhi, India.

In the joint report, the two countries are expected to present action plans for the sustainable management of Victoria Falls, which earned its UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1989.

Delegations from Zimbabwe and Zambia are participating at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee, which runs from July 21 to 31.

The two countries had been urged to expedite the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the cumulative development and environmental pressure on the property with inputs and technical guidance from IUCN.

In 2022, a UNESCO Reactive Monitoring mission made recommendations for the two countries to conduct assessments and take actions to prevent Victoria Falls from losing its heritage status due to “individual and cumulative infrastructure developments” in restricted zones within the margins of the world’s largest waterfall attraction.

Critics see the several commercial developments done by both countries as a threat to Victoria Falls.

These include the development of a golf course, hotel, lodges and a hydroelectric dam near the Victoria Falls.

India is hosting the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time.

The World Heritage Committee meets annually and is responsible for managing all matters on World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.

During this meeting, proposals for nominating new sites on the World Heritage list, State of Conservation reports of 124 existing World Heritage properties, and International Assistance and Utilisation of World Heritage Funds are discussed.

More than 2 000 delegates from more than 150 countries are attending this year’s meeting.