The General Assembly,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-11/18.GA/8 and WHC-11/18.GA/INF.8,
2. Endorses the recommendations of the independent evaluation by UNESCO’s external auditor on the implementation of the Global Strategy from its inception in 1994 to 2011 and the Partnership for Conservation Initiative (PACT) requested by its Resolution 17 GA 9 (UNESCO, 2009),
3. Welcomes the views of all States Parties that provided comments following the Circular Letter dated 13 July 2011;
4. Urges all parties to take into consideration the recommendations of the External Auditor while implementing the Global Strategy;
5. Decides to establish an open-ended working group including experts from the different geographic regions, whose composition would be determined by States Parties and depending significantly on extrabudgetary funds, to examine the report of the External Auditor, in order to produce an implementation plan for the recommendations for
consideration by the World Heritage Committee and to present a final report to the 19th session of the General Assembly;
6. In order to assist the open-ended working group, invites the World Heritage Centre, in close collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to produce by 1 February 2012 a working document, which:
a) proposes a prioritized list of recommendations in the framework of the objectives of the Strategic Action Plan, adopted in resolution 18 GA 11, and considering decisions 35 COM 12A to 35 COM 12E,
b) indicates the financial implications,
c) suggests the allocation of responsibility between States Parties, the General Assembly, the World Heritage Committee, the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre;
7. Recommends that this open-ended working group meets before the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee, in order to report to the Committee on the work undertaken;
8. Invites UNESCO and its World Heritage Centre to implement the recommendations concerning PACT notably in order to harmonize PACT with UNESCO’s development of partnership strategies in order:
a) to improve the traceability of funds and the concordance of partnerships with the goals and objectives of the Convention,
b) to ensure the transfer of funds to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with article 15 of the Convention;
9. Requests the World Heritage Centre to provide the General Assembly at its 19th session in 2013 with a report for approval of the work undertaken.