Motion 146

The Aldabra Group in Seychelles represents one of the last intact ecosystems on Earth, supporting the world’s largest population of giant tortoises, critical green turtle nesting beaches, and coral and mangrove systems of exceptional ecological value. Aldabra Atoll was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 and is recognised under several international frameworks, including Ramsar, the WWF Global 200 Ecoregions, the WWF Blue Corridor for Migratory Whales, the Blue Park Award, and BirdLife International’s network of Important Bird Areas.

In 2025, large-scale hotel construction began on Assomption Island, less than 30 kilometres from Aldabra. The project, led by Qatar-based Assets Group and affiliated with Rosewood Hotels, has advanced without transparency, in breach of the Seychelles Environmental Impact Assessment Act, and in disregard of a Stop Notice issued by the Planning Authority in May 2025. Evidence gathered by Friends of Aldabra confirms illegal coastal dredging in a Marine Protected Area, habitat destruction, the fatal injury of an Aldabra giant tortoise, and a lack of biosecurity oversight, risking the introduction of invasive species to Aldabra.

Despite multiple formal notifications since April 2024, the IUCN World Heritage Programme and World Commission on Protected Areas have not undertaken the required review of this project, as stipulated by World Heritage Committee Decision 47 COM 7, which mandates prior IUCN assessment of major interventions affecting World Heritage properties. This lack of response has left a gap in international oversight and undermined confidence in IUCN’s custodial role under the World Heritage Convention.

The situation has also created social and political tensions in Seychelles. Local NGOs and youth activists opposing the development have faced intimidation and political targeting. In September 2025, Friends of Aldabra filed a constitutional petition seeking to halt construction. The issue has since become a defining national concern, with environmental protection among the top voter priorities in the 2025 elections.

This motion seeks immediate IUCN intervention to conduct a site assessment, ensure State Party compliance, and support independent oversight to prevent irreversible ecological loss. Friends of Aldabra and its partners are ready to assist in fundraising and resource mobilisation to support IUCN’s implementation of this motion.

Further information and supporting materials are available at friendsofaldabra.org and instagram.com/friendsofaldabra.