Periodic Reporting 2nd Cycle: Arab States (2010)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/10A,
2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 10B.3 adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017);
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting for the Arab States;
4. Thanks the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), based in Bahrain, for its contribution towards supporting follow-up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States;
5. Invites the Arab States to increase their cooperation with the World Heritage Centre in order to reinforce the capacities of the national heritage professionals in the field of conservation and management of the World Heritage properties;
6. Notes with concern that the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage in countries of the region which are affected by conflicts remains one of the priorities of the Regional Programme and requires more human and financial resources;
7. Reminds the Arab States which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2020 at the latest, as well as clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2019 at the latest;
8. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan for the second cycle of Periodic Reporting for the Arab States region at its 45th session, in 2021.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined document WHC-15/39.COM/10B,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 10C.3 adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Acknowledges the progress accomplished in the follow-up of the second cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States and encourages them to continue their efforts in the implementation of recommendations;
4. Notes with concern the decrease in the number of focal points and strongly encourages States Parties concerned to designate one focal point for cultural heritage and another one for natural heritage;
5. Further encourages States Parties to follow the recommendation of the Chairperson of the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (Paris, UNESCO, 2011), contained in her letter addressed to all the Arab countries on the establishment of national entities for World Heritage;
6. Also encourages States Parties to continue the implementation of the Recommendation regarding the Historic Urban Landscape in order to enhance the conservation of urban heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List;
7. Notes with satisfaction the commitment and important financial contribution of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), based in Bahrain, and invites Arab States to strengthen their cooperation with the ARC-WH;
8. Further reminds States Parties which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2016 at the latest, as well as clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2015 at the latest.

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.

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.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B,
2. Recalling its Decisions 24 COM VII.1-4 and 27 COM 20B.I, adopted at its 24th session (Cairns, 2000) and its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003), respectively,
3. Takes note of the progress made in the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Arab States and in responding to the priority needs identified in the Periodic Report for the Arab States;
4. Thanks the Dutch Government for supporting the publication of such Periodic Report;
5. Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to continue developing the Assistance Modules, as well as projects, as part of the strategy outlined in the Regional Programme, and to consult the concerned States Parties in the process;
6. Further requests the World Heritage Centre to report at its 30th session (2006) on the outcome of the Regional Meeting foreseen in 2005 – with particular attention to the review of the Assistance Modules and the mobilization of extra-budgetary resources for their implementation.