KRAKOW, Poland, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided on Tuesday to remove the Cote d'Ivoire's Comoe National Park from the list of World Heritage sites in danger, after 14 years of successful conservation efforts.
Members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting here between July 2 and 12 for the committee's 41st session, congratulated those who contributed to improving the situation in Comoe park and encouraged other countries to do similar work.
"You have proved that being removed from the list of endangered world heritage sites is possible," said committee chairperson Jacek Purchla.
Established in 1968 and becoming a world heritage site since 1983, Comoe park is one of the largest protected areas in west Africa, known for its diverse plant life. It was endangered due to poaching, fires, and overgrazing. According to the UNESCO website, populations of species such as elephants and chimpanzees that were thought to have disappeared from the area are reproducing again and the state of habitat conservation is now very positive.
The World Heritage Committee launched an analysis on Tuesday of 55 of the world's cultural and natural heritage sites, which are at risk due to armed conflicts, natural disasters and encroaching civilization.
The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to inform the international community of conditions which threaten the site.
