Decision 45 COM 7B.150

Medina of Sousse (Tunisia) (C 498bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.138 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online),
3. Welcomes the measures taken by the State Party for greater collaboration in the management of the property, for the elaboration of a safeguarding and valorisation plan (PSMV) and for fundraising, in order to stem the threats to the property's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and urges the State Party to strengthen its efforts;
4. Taking note of the findings and recommendations of the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission of January 2023, requests the State Party to implement the mission's recommendations, and in particular:
   1. rigorously monitor urban operations to reduce the risk of infringements,
   2. based on the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), conduct an in-depth study of the attributes of the property, the qualities of the buffer zone as well as the visual fields to be preserved, including in the buffer zone and its surrounding context, in order to better understand how they support and protect the OUV,
   3. document and analyze traditional and current patterns of use of the urban infrastructure that could serve as a basis for the socio-economic regeneration of the property, and integrate them into the provisions of the PSMV, to support the regeneration of the property, while protecting its OUV,
   4. benefit from the preparation of the PSMV to set up a joint management mechanism for the medina that includes representatives of the resident community, and involves civil society more closely, in the preservation, enhancement and management of the property,
   5. carry out a pilot project, reflecting the provisions of the PSMV, in one area of the medina to ensure that it is adapted and applicable to the context, before developing it on a property-wide scale,
   6. finalize, adopt and implement the PSMV in order to ensure the preservation of the OUV of the property, its conservation and management, including tourism management, the socio-economic regeneration of the property and coordination between all stakeholders,
   7. integrate into the PSMV the sustainable development aspects of the second phase of the Sousse Urban Development Programme (PDUI-II), while respecting the OUV of the property, in order to ensure the link with the city of Sousse as a whole, and to give it precedence over the Urban Development Plan (PAU) as soon as it is adopted, so as to ensure better protection of the property;
5. Invites the State Party to seek the expertise of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies as necessary, in the implementation of the above recommendations, and in particular in relation to the implementation of the HUL Recommendation;
6. Reminds the State Party of its obligation to submit information on significant projects to the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before decisions are taken that could be difficult to reverse;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, 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 47th session.