Decision : 27 COM 7A.18
Abu Mena (Egypt)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having taken note of the information provided by the World Heritage Centre on the results of the mission to the property,;
2. Commends the State Party for the efforts which are made in order to complete the programme for the protection of the area;
3. Stresses, however, that engineering solutions to the groundwater problems might prove not cost-effective and sustainable if the source of the problem is not addressed in a comprehensive and co-ordination effort;
4. Recommends to the State Party to halt the on-going engineering interventions and review Phases II and III of the project, taking into account the recommendations of the World Heritage Centre expert;
5. Recommends to the State Party to consider establishing a Cultural Heritage Co-ordination Unit within the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), which would be responsible for maintaining contacts with all institutions involved in planning activities with a potential impact on heritage, as well as for promoting pro-active assessment, planning, monitoring and management of all activities within these properties;
6. Suggests to the State Party to consider requesting international assistance for technical co-operation, if necessary, with a view to set up this Unit and develop its operational procedures;
7. Requests the State Party to submit a report to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2004, on the progress in the implementation of these recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session in 2004;
8. Decides to retain the property of Abu Mena on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Decisions Report2003 Abu Mena
