The World Heritage Committee [11],
1. Thanks the Minister of Information and Culture for honouring the Committee by his participation at its 26th session;
2. Congratulates the authorities and people of Afghanistan for their efforts to protect the heritage in Afghanistan during the long years of conflict;
3. Welcomes the priority importance attached by the Government of Afghanistan for the safeguarding of their natural and cultural heritage;
4. Expresses appreciation for the efforts made by UNESCO, the Advisory Bodies, donor governments and the non-governmental organizations supporting the re-establishment of the heritage protection and conservation authorities in Afghanistan;
5. Adopts the recommendations in document WHC-02/CONF.202/19 and decides to annex them to this list of decisions (Annex II);
6. Encourages continued international solidarity with Afghanistan, particularly by calling upon experts from the countries in the region to foster co-operation among States Parties sharing common cultural roots;
7. Requests the Director-General and the Advisory Bodies to continue assisting the Government of Afghanistan in elaborating a medium and long-term action plan for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and in mobilizing international support for operations benefiting the natural and cultural heritage of Afghanistan [12];
8. Requests the Director-General to support the Afghan authorities in preventing illicit excavation and in establishing local monitoring, protection and conservation mechanisms for the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam and other sites;
9. Urges the Government of Afghanistan to become signatory to the Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, (The Hague, 1954) and its two Protocols, the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, the UNIDROIT Convention and other international legal instruments protecting cultural and natural heritage;
10. Strongly urges the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan to co-operate in strengthening control of their national borders to prevent further illicit traffic of Afghan heritage;
11. Invites the Director-General to organize actions similar to those undertaken in Angkor (Cambodia) with the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to increase the Afghan national capacity to prevent illicit trafficking of heritage.
[11] See also related decision 26 COM 23.2 and 26 COM 23.3, and 26 COM 24.2.4.
[12] See decision 26 COM 24.2.4.