Decision 40 COM 10B.2

Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Africa region

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/10B,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 10A, 37 COM 10C.2, 38 COM 10B.2 and 39 COM 10B.2 adopted at its 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom-Penh, 2013), 38th (Doha, 2014) and 39th (Bonn, 2015) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the second cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Africa Region, while expressing its concerns regarding the relatively weak implementation rate of the Regional Action Plan by African States Parties;
4. Notes with appreciation the financial contribution of the Governments of Norway, Flanders (Belgium), Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, Burkina Faso, the European Union, as well as IUCN, the UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme, , the African World Heritage Fund and the host countries of all capacity-building workshops towards activities carried out in the framework of the implementation of the Action Plan for the Africa region and its regional capacity-building programme;
5. Calls upon States Parties to financially and technically support the implementation of the Action Plan for the Africa region through follow-up activities with the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and the African World Heritage Fund; and to take advantage of the annual mobilization of the African World Heritage Day on 5 May in fostering support for the Action Plan for the Africa region;
6. Commends the States Parties of the Africa Region who have been actively implementing the Action Plan; and requests States Parties, who have not already done so, to establish their National World Heritage Committees and to develop their National Action Plans and Budgets, as well as to inform the World Heritage Centre when they are operational;
7. Further reminds States Parties which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2017 at the latest, as well as clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2016 at the latest;
8. Notes with appreciation the Ngorongoro Declaration, and also commends the World Heritage Centre and the African World Heritage Fund for organizing the travelling exhibitions “African World Heritage: a pathway for development” and “African Heritage under Threat” to enhance awareness raising;
9. Takes note of the capacity building activities implemented in April-May 2016 in the framework of the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the African World Heritage Fund including the Youth Forum on “Youth and World Heritage in Africa” implemented in partnership with the World Heritage Centre and the Robben Island World Heritage property in South Africa;
10. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, the African World Heritage Fund and the regional capacity building organizations and with the support of States Parties, to continue its efforts to coordinate and implement the Regional Capacity-Building Programme according to the Action Plan 2012-2017;
11. Also requests the States Parties, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to pay special attention to the management of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
12. Further requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan for the Africa Region at its 41st session in 2017.