Niah National Park: Submission of final dossier to Unesco by February

MINISTER of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah says the ‘Final Dossier’ for the nomination of Niah National Park as the second World Heritage Site under the mixed category for natural and cultural heritage will be submitted before February next year.

“This will be followed with an evaluation by advisory bodies for the final decision by Unesco World Heritage Committee in July (2023), before Niah National Park could be inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List,” he said in his ministerial windingup speech.

He added that various efforts and tasks had been undertaken by all stakeholders to complete the ‘Draft Dossier’ for voluntarily submission to Unesco in September this year.

Abdul Karim added that an international conference on Niah National Park for Unesco World Heritage Site Nomination was held in Miri Sept 3-5.

It was jointly organised by his ministry together with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development, Museum Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).

He added that ecotourism was the focus of Sarawak’s tourism promotion as identified in Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

“Our vast Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) are indeed a rich resource for Sarawak’s ecotourism. Sarawak has 67 gazetted TPAs, which include 47 national parks, 15 nature reserves and 5 wildlife sanctuaries.

“My ministry is working closely with Sarawak Forestry Corporation in promoting ecotourism products such as Sarawak Delta Geopark, Heart of Borneo and Totally Protected Areas in Sarawak,” he said.

He said the formulation of management plan in conservation and visitor management for gazetted national parks in Sarawak was another key goal under the PCDS 2030.

“For this reason, my ministry is working with SFC to set up a target of three management plans to be completed yearly. We target to complete 30 management plans by 2030.

“The development of management plans for Mulu National Park, Bako National Park, and Lambir Hills National Park are in progress. This will enable Sarawak to further develop and enhance its tourism destinations and attractions to the domestic and international markets in line with the sustainable development goals,” he said.