The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/11B,
2. Recalling decisions 30 COM 11C, 31 COM 7.3 and 31 COM 11D.1, adopted respectively at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006) and 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Also recalling the need for States Parties, as stipulated in Article 5 (e) of the World Heritage Convention, "to foster the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to encourage scientific research in this field ",
4. Takes note of the information provided by the World Heritage Centre on progress accomplished in the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Arab States;
5. Encourages States Parties of the Arab region, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to continue with the implementation of the Regional Programme, especially the Action Plans adopted in Abu Dhabi in 2005, and develop them as operational national work plans;
6. Requests States Parties of the Arab region that have not yet responded to the questions raised in 2006 in the framework of the Retrospective Inventory, to provide all clarifications and documentation requested before 1 December 2008;
7. Also requests States Parties of the Arab region to revise or prepare all the missing Statements of Outstanding Universal Value concerning properties situated in their territories and to submit them before 1 February 2009 for examination at the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee in 2009;
8. Urges States Parties of the Arab region to participate actively in the second cycle of periodic reporting and encourages them to take this opportunity to strengthen their management capacities for World Heritage properties;
9. Further requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to provide assistance to the Arab States in the preparation of the Periodic Report;
10. Warmly welcomes the proposal of the State Party of Bahrain to create a centre for the reinforcement of the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Arab region, and invites it to pursue collaboration established with the World Heritage Centre, as well as the consultation with the Arab States and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) for the efficient development of the project, and encourages it to undertake a feasibility study and all necessary steps for the establishment of the centre as a Category II Centre under the auspices of UNESCO, and invites it to submit a progress report on the project to its 33rd session in 2009;
11. Takes note of the offer of the State Party of Egypt to establish a second centre in Cairo to give support to capacity building within the region;
12. Also requests the World Heritage Centre to submit the results of the Periodic Report for the Arab States to the Committee at its 34th session in 2010.