Decision 44 COM 7B.122

Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba (Togo) (C 1140)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.112, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the efforts undertaken by the State Party and its partners to improve the state of conservation of the site since the bad weather of 2018, in particular through the implementation of the project “Improving the state of conservation of Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba” funded by the Government of Norway, and encourages the State Party to continue the efforts undertaken;
4. Welcomes the organization by the State Party and its partners of activities to raise awareness and strengthen the resilience of local communities, the establishment of a community museum, the continuation of reforestation actions, the promotion of activities contributing to the preservation of intangible heritage, the creation of a team of specialists to develop geographical and topographical maps of the site, the application of the provisions related to architecture and town planning of Ministerial Decree N°0147/MCTL/CAB/SG/DPPCT of 20 March 2007 and discussions with national technical partners to ally traditional architecture with improved local materials;
5. Notes with satisfaction the legal and legislative measures taken by the State Party for the creation of the Koutammakou Conservation and Promotion Service (SCPK), and requests the State Party to provide this service with sufficient human and financial resources for the effective conservation, management and protection of the property;
6. Also requests the State Party to finalize the management plan for the property integrating a risk management plan and a conservation plan (procedures, practical guidelines, constructive cultures, traditional materials, constructive systems, etc.) as well as an updated map clarifying the delimitation of the perimeter of the property and its buffer zone, and submit them as soon as possible to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies before their validation;
7. Reiterates its concern about the growing development of urban pressure inside and near the property which may have a negative impact on the cultural landscape of Koutammakou, and recommends that the urban dimension of the property be fully reflected in the policies, measures and tools adopted for the conservation of the latter, drawing if necessary on the approach taken by the Recommendation concerning the Historic Urban Landscape (2011);
8. Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in particular the Government of Norway through its contribution to the World Heritage Fund;
9. Reiterates its request to the State Party to provide more details on the restoration measures of the Sikien underway, in particular with regard to the extent of the restoration works, the state of progress of the works, the location of the restored Sikien, types of work undertaken, and construction materials and systems;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, the documents and architectural projects for the offices of the new town hall of Kéran 3 in Nadoba to the World Heritage Centre for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies;
11. Takes note that the State Party was unable to invite the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM reactive monitoring mission requested in its Decision 43 COM 7B.112 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and reiterates the need for this mission to be carried out as soon as circumstances allow in order to fully assess the state of conservation of the property, assess the state of the restoration of the Sikien, analyze the possible threat of urban pressure growing in and near the property to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), review the regulations intended to control this pressure and to make recommendations to the Committee on the proposal to consider Nadoba city centre as a “tolerated zone”;
12. 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.