Decision : 34 COM 10A
Report on the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined document WHC-10/34COM/10A,

2. Recalling Decisions 32 COM 11B and 33 COM 11A, adopted respectively at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008) and 33rd session (Seville, 2009),

3. Expresses its sincere appreciation to the States Parties from the Arab region for their efforts in preparing and submitting their Periodic Reports and thanks especially all Focal Points and sites managers for their effective participation and commitment;

4. Notes that some States Parties did not participate in the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting and that two States Parties, while participating in the exercise, did not submit Section I of the Periodic Reporting questionnaire and encourages them to provide this information to complete the database;

5. Also notes the successful use of the electronic tool and the ensuing pertinent documentation gathered in the World Heritage Centre database for future monitoring and follow-up;

6. Also thanks the Bahraini and Algerian authorities for hosting respectively the launch and closure meetings for the Periodic Reporting exercise and The Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO for its financial support and further thanks ALECSO for translating the questionnaire of the second cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States.

7. Welcomes with satisfaction the synthesis report of the Arab States and endorses the sub regional Action Plans proposed by the Focal Points during the Algiers final regional meeting, and requests the World Heritage Centre to disseminate the Periodic Report in English, French and Arabic, for wide distribution in the region among all stakeholders;

8. Also encourages the States Parties and all other World Heritage partners and stakeholders in the Arab States to co-operate actively and to take the necessary actions to follow-up in a concerted and concrete manner the implementation of the Action Plans for World Heritage in the region;

9. Further notes that the proposals contained in the Action Plans have considerable resource and workload implications for the Arab States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and further encourages States Parties to contribute to their implementation through extra-budgetary funding;

10. Also welcomes the role that the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Bahrain can take in particular in terms of providing assistance to the Arab States Parties in reinforcing their capacity in the implementation the World Heritage Convention;

11. Also requests the Arab States Parties to submit the remaining retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value as early as possible and not later than 1 February 2011;

12. Further requests the States Parties to continue to work closely with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to further develop the Action Plans into an operational Regional Programme including priorities, time tables, and budgetary implications for the Arab States, tailored to sub-regional needs, and requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report thereon at its 35th session in 2011.