Decision 41 COM 7B.67

Historic Town of Grand-Bassam (Côte d'Ivoire) (C 1322rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 8B.17, 37 COM 7B.37 and 39 COM 7B.38, adopted at its 36th (Saint-Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013) and 39th (Bonn, 2015) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the State Party for the implementation of the conservation and valorization measures in response to the points raised by the Committee in its previous decisions, notably Decision 39 COM 7B.38;
4. Takes note with satisfaction of the continuation of international partnerships, in particular for training in conservation and management, as well as the involvement and mobilization of local communities and efforts to promote the property;
5. Encourages the State Party to continue to implement the specific actions requested by the Committee in its previous decisions and reflected in the Action Plan aimed at strengthening the protection and conservation of the property, further the documentary research on the property, keep the inventory up to date, and regularly verify the applicability of the reglementary texts for a sustainable and efficient conservation and management of the property;
6. Requests the State Party to keep the Committee informed of the implementation of major projects, namely the restoration in conformity with the ancient Palace of Justice, restoration of the Grand Bassam Cultural Heritage House, the development of the road network for the property, operational projects in the framework of the application of the Sanitation Master Plan, and the reopening of the river mouth, and reminds the State Party of the need to inform the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, of any future projects likely to affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including its authenticity or integrity, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before hard-to-reverse decisions are taken;
7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and on the implementation of the above-mentioned points.