Decision 44 COM 7B.66

Colonial City of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) (C 526)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.37, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Takes note of the progress made by the State Party in responding to requests by the Committee regarding the legal and management framework, particularly by defining clear roles for government agencies, and reinforcing the Dirección Nacional de Patrimonio Monumental (DNPM);
4. Also takes note of the completion of the new Comprehensive Revitalisation Strategic Plan of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo and requests the State Party to ensure its approval and submission to the World Heritage Centre for final review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as it is available;
5. Acknowledges the efforts made by the State Party to obtain a certification for sustainable tourism, and also requests it to continue monitoring the increase in visitation, taking into account the carrying capacity of the property and the protection of its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
6. Regrets that the State Party has not yet submitted a Minor Boundary Modification as per Paragraphs 162-164 of the Operational Guidelines for the definition of the buffer zone as previously requested by the World Heritage Committee, and urges the State Party to finalize the proposal as soon as possible;
7. Further takes note of the photogrammetric survey and topographical studies undertaken in the aftermath of the partial collapse of the Hotel Francés, and further requests the State Party to provide additional clarifications regarding the proposed reconstruction project;
8. Welcomes the notification by the State Party that the construction of the Subway Line 6 is not foreseen in the next ten years, and reminds it, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to inform and submit the necessary technical information to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before further decisions are taken;
9. Requests furthermore that additional information regarding the conservation methods used at historic buildings within the property, as well as the project proposals for the Convent of San Francisco and for the Santa Bárbara Church, be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
10. Expresses its concern that no Disaster Risk Management Plan has been developed to address the risks posed by earthquakes and hurricanes, and requests moreover the State Party to develop such plan and submit it to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.