Archaeological Site of Carthage

• Land development and infrastructures within the property
• Legal framework
• Habitat
• Management system / management plan

Total amount provided to the property: International Safeguarding Campaign, 1973-1989

On 9 April 2018, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/37/documents/. Progress achieved regarding a certain number of conservation problems treated by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• The State Party still experiences a difficult general situation that impacts the property. However, it has efficiently combated wild occupation of the Punic ports and the implantation of publicity boards or anarchic constructions;
• The famous statue of Ganymède stolen from the site museum in 2013 has been recovered;
• Various archaeological excavations have been carried out or programmed. The report does not treat in depth the possible plans concerning their conservation and presentation, as previously requested by the Committee;
• The Commission responsible for the formulation of proposals to resolve land issues of declassification/reclassification of some archaeological areas within the property has submitted its conclusions to the competent political authorities;
• The State Party has continued its efforts one the one hand to ensure land control of the area located in the classified zone, and on the other, carrying out development and enhancement work;
• A proposal to modify the boundaries of the property was submitted to the National Heritage Commission on 8 January 2018, and obtained a favorable response. It will be transmitted to the World Heritage Centre very shortly;
• Information on criteria for the definition of the buffer zone and the regulations and measures that govern it will be provided once the revision of the boundaries of the property have been adopted;
• The revised version of the Protection and Enhancement Plan (PPMV) is currently being finalized, and a presentation plan for the property has been prepared and consultations are foreseen to outline a tourism management policy for the property, upon which the tourism management plan for the property will be based;
• A Study and Enhancement Project for the Roman Circus has been prepared to enhance the largest public monuments of Roman Carthage;
• A Study and Archaeological Investigations and Conservation Strategy for the property is under preparation;
• The State Party envisages the establishment of a new structure to coordinate management and preservation tools for the property, as well as the roles of the different stakeholders concerned;
• The hydraulic complex, including the cisterns and the reservoirs is likely to become a cultural and leisure space with, notably, the construction of an interpretation centre on the water.

The State Party has increased its efforts in a relatively difficult global context and implements the recommendations of the 2014 Commission report to ensure the conservation, protection and management of the property.  It acts successfully against illegal activities and controls the land issues located within the property – in the areas reclassified by their acquisition – and this despite their high cost. However, it remains necessary that the State Party provides its Action Plan relating to the land issues of declassification/reclassification of some archaeological zones within the property, together with a timetable. It is therefore recommended that the Committee commend the State Party for its efforts to protect and conserve the property and to have found the statue of Ganymede and asks for a plan of action on the land issues of declassification / reclassification of certain archaeological areas within the property together with the timetable.

The revision process for the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone is ongoing, but it is regrettable that the criteria defining the buffer zone, as well as the regulations and measures that govern it, have not yet been submitted to the World Heritage Centre.

Measures concerning the PPMV, the Enhancement Plan and the tourism management plan for the property, the management and conservation structure of the property with a clear definition of the mandates and prerogatives, indicate a worrying delay and require urgent action for their finalization, adoption and implementation.

The projects prepared for the study and enhancement of the Roman Circus and that of the study and archaeological investigations and conservation strategy for the property, as well as the Heritage Impact Evaluation (EIP), must be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the Advisory Bodies, in conformity with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before irreversible decisions are taken, to enable the Committee to assist in seeking appropriate solutions to fully conserve the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property.