Decision 40 COM 7B.3

Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diquís (Costa Rica) (C 1453)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 38 COM 8B.44, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
3. Commends the State Party for the progress made in responding to the Committee's recommendations;
4. Recognizes the engagement of the State Party and the efforts undertaken to develop Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for both the Airport and El Diquís Hydroelectric Dam projects and notes that the preliminary analysis of the impacts highlights potential threats to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, suggesting the need for the reconsideration of both projects;
5. Strongly recommends that these HIAs be completed as soon as possible and submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Also strongly recommends that the State Party complete the Regulatory Plan for the buffer zones and that it submits the final draft to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, along with the mentioned Manual of archaeological sites;
7. Requests the State Party to provide updated information on the progress made in the acquisition of the 5.6ha land at El Silencio site;
8. Also requests the State Party to provide updated information with regard to the request for additional staff made to the Ministry of Finance and details with regard to the new administrative structure and management unit being put in place;
9. Recommends that the State Party continue with the undertaken actions in response to the Committee's recommendations, namely:
   1. preparing and finalizing the Risk Preparedness and Management Disaster Plans,
   2. establishing cooperation mechanisms with local communities and indigenous groups and associations for management purposes,
   3. promoting educational activities and projects to involve local teams for monitoring and documentation tasks and development of monitoring indicators;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.