Decision 40 COM 8B.34

Examination of nominations of cultural properties to the World Heritage List - boundary modification

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/16/40.COM/8B and WHC/16/40.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Does not approve the significant boundary modification of the Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá, Panama;
3. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7B.100 adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013), requests the State Party, with the support of ICOMOS if requested, to submit a significant boundary modification;
4. Encourages the State Party to consider inviting ICOMOS to offer advice;
5. Also recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
   1. incorporating a Heritage Impact Assessment approach into the management system, so as to ensure that any programme, project or legislation regarding the property be assessed in terms of its consequences on the Outstanding Universal Value and its supporting attributes,
   2. conducting the three-dimensional view-shed and view corridor analysis to identify specific sensitive areas, which will be protected in addition to the existing buffer zones,
   3. reducing or mitigating the visual impact of existing developments through reduction of the impact source,
   4. ensuring the long-term adequate financial sustainability of conservation and management efforts through adequate governmental funding;
6. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2017 an updated report on the state of conservation of the property for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
7. Also reminds the State Party to submit a significant boundary modification by 1 February 2018 with the reservation that in absence of the implementation of the request made in this decision, the property would be deleted from the World Heritage List at its 43rd session in 2019.