Island of Mozambique

• Management and Conservation Plan not yet finalized
• Growing number of collapsed or seriously dilapidated buildings
• Threats to authenticity through inappropriate repairs
• Lack of development control
• Lack of adequate sewage and water systems
• Lack of adequate financial and human resources
• Accelerated building deterioration due to rising risks (e.g. 2019 Cyclones)
• Climate Change

Total amount provided to the property: For the rehabilitation of the Saint Sebastian Fortress: USD 1,108,078 by Japan Funds in Trust; USD 526,015 by UCCLA; USD 397,122 by Portugal/IPAD; USD 270,000 by Flanders Funds in Trust; USD 729,729 by the Netherlands Funds in Trust. For other conservation and management projects: USD 50,000 by World Heritage Cities Programme (Netherlands); USD 89,000 by IPAD; USD 23,175 by Africa 2009; USD 13,450 by the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF); USD 42,000 by One UN Fund in 2017-2018

On 1 December 2019, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/599/documents, which reports on the progress achieved with the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the Committee at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018), as follows:

• The Management and Conservation Plan of Island of Mozambique (2018-2024)(MCPIM), which incorporates disaster risk management and the new buffer zone delimitation including the remaining underwater archaeological heritage alongside marine ecosystems, has been finalized and is awaiting governmental approval;
• A proposal to amend the Island of Mozambique Conservation Office (GACIM)’s statute to give the institution more authority regarding the development control within the property has been submitted to the national authorities for approval;
• Efforts are being made to strengthen GACIM’s capacities through new staff recruitment and capacity building;
• Building conservation and technical diagnostics have been undertaken. Work on two buildings of the Hospital complex has been completed, with two additional buildings currently under restoration. Work on the main block is yet to commence;
• Two public institutions were relocated from the property to the mainland, which reportedly reduces the risk to their original buildings due to constant use;
• Community programmes (such as “One Student One Family”) are being implemented to improve the inhabitants living conditions and their sense of belonging and identity, especially in Macúti. A “Workshop on the community participation in the management and monitoring processes at the Island of Mozambique World Heritage Site” was held in November 2019, funded through International Assistance;
• An “Urban Structure Plan for the Island of Mozambique District” is being prepared, which aims to define strategies to sustainably manage traffic and mitigate negative impacts on cultural heritage, and to develop actions regarding the excessive demographic pressure, which impacts on infrastructure and public spaces;
• The MCPIM provides for a Heritage Management Committee (CGIM) to ensure the site’s conservation, but it is not yet constituted;
• The protective sea wall of the Island, which collapsed in 2017 supposedly due to climate change-related tidal activity, was rebuilt;
• There are still storm water drainage and sanitation problems, especially in Macúti town;
• A proposal to build a tourist complex on Goa Island, located in the buffer zone, was presented to GACIM, who submitted the project to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism;
• The “Specific Rules for the Conservation of the Built Heritage of Macúti Town” has been developed and is awaiting government approval. It includes a framework, types of intervention, and rules, with three examples of standard-projects, to contribute for the preservation of original architecture and serve as guidance for interventions.

The progress made by the State Party in addressing the challenges faced by the property is to be commended, in particular the revision of the Management and Conservation Plan of the Island of Mozambique (MCPIM), through financial support from the One UN Fund. It is now urgent for the State Party to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review before official approval. The new buffer zone delimitation proposal should be submitted as a Minor Boundary Modification to the World Heritage Centre in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines.

The efforts made to strengthen GACIM’s authority and technical capacities are to be similarly commended, in particular with regards to efforts to amend its statute to grant the institution increased authority regarding decision-making on interventions on the Island’s built heritage. The State Party should be encouraged to pursue these efforts, notably by approving the proposed amendment to the GACIM’s statute, appointing qualified staff and reinforcing the cooperation between GACIM and the Municipality on issues and activities related to management and conservation.

The conservation measures undertaken to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, as seen with the reconstruction of the hospital building should continue. The actions to protect the Island from storm surges, through the construction of a sea wall are laudable. A long-term strategy for sea defence infrastructure should be developed and its effect assessed through Visual and Heritage Impact Assessments.

Important restoration work remains to be done, in particular on buildings such as the Court of the Island, or the main block of the hospital. This process should be carried out on the basis of the conservation guidelines to steer renovation and restoration projects. Long-term vacancy of public buildings should be avoided and careful consideration to their new use is recommended, with preference to new public use.

The State Party has not yet submitted the requested inventory of Structures of the stone and lime town area of the property, which should identify their current use. Moreover, the “Urban Structure Plan for the Island of Mozambique District” should be finalized and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

The “Specific Rules for the Conservation of the Built Heritage of Macúti town”, submitted along with the State Party report, is also to be welcomed. This document, for which ICOMOS provided a technical review sent to the State Party on 17 September 2020, needs to be updated accordingly following which it should be approved by the government and implemented. Efforts made to improve the conservation of Macúti, for example through programmes to empower the local communities, should be extended, with priority to development projects to improve the sanitation and living conditions in Macúti. It is recommended that the Committee encourages the State Party to mobilize funds to this effect including through International Assistance.

The organization of the “Workshop on the community participation in the management and monitoring processes at the Island of Mozambique World Heritage Site” is also welcomed.

Finally, it is worth recalling that, pursuant to Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, the State Party should inform the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, of the state of progress of the “Fortim de São Lourenço”, “Complex and Hotel Desportivo” and “Tourist complex in Goa Island” projects.