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Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)

Morocco
Factors affecting the property in 2005*
  • Commercial development
  • Solid waste
  • Other Threats:

    a) Progressive deterioration of the built framework; b) Absence of a rehabilitation policy for the Mellah Quarter; c) Continuous collapse of the buildings and advanced deterioration of the maritime part of the fortified wall of the Medina

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Progressive deterioration of the built framework;
  • Absence of a rehabilitation policy for the Mellah Quarter (open air garbage dump, sewage runoff on the outer walls of houses, continuous collapse of the buildings);
  • Advanced deterioration of the maritime part of the fortified wall of the Medina;
  • Construction of two commercial complexes in the “buffer zone”.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2005
Requests approved: 2 (from 1997-1998)
Total amount approved : 52,500 USD
Missions to the property until 2005**

7-17 September 2003:  reactive monitoring misison linked to an expert mission for the elaboration of an integrated project for the safeguard of the Medina ; 17-20 February 2005: mission of the UNESCO Office in Rabat

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2005

Referring to the decision of the 28th session of the Committee (Suzhou, 2004), the State Party addressed a report to the World Heritage Centre in January 2005 on progress made in the implementation of safeguarding measures for the property. 

Concerning the steps for the creation of an administrative and technical structure responsible for the property, to facilitate the maintenance of its architectural and urban quality, the State Party recalled that, since the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List, the Ministry of Culture has strengthened the Inspection of the Historic Monuments and Properties created in Essaouira in 1997.  This authority is responsible for the monitoring and control of measures taken by the different stakeholders concerning the conservation, protection and rehabilitation of the built heritage.  The Inspection team is headed by an architect and seconded by specialists in the field of heritage (monuments and sites conservators).

Monitoring is also ensured by the technical services of the municipality – headed by an architect – by the town planning services of the Province and by the provincial delegation for housing and town planning.   Besides these governmental structures, NGOs contribute actively to the conservation and rehabilitation efforts for the built heritage of the Medina, as is the case with the Agenda 21 Programme set up in 1996, and the Essaouira-Mogador Association.   The latter organised, from 18 to 21 February 2005, the Fifth Session of the Convivial University of Essaouira on the theme of the sustainability and the consolidation of the social, cultural and economic renaissance of the City des Alizés.   This session was held in the presence of the Prime Minister of Morocco, accompanied by several members of his Government as well as the King’s Councellor, Mr André Azoulay, founder of the Essaouira-Mogador Association.   The World Heritage Centre regrets that it was not able to participate in this important event and requests the State Party to transmit the report of this event.

In response to the appeal from the World Heritage Committee, the State Party clarified in its report that the programme for the “revitalisation of the historic centres of Morocco” initiated by the World Bank, has had no follow up since 2002. The State Party made no comment on the Project for the Conservation and Presentation of the Medina of Essaouira elaborated following the World Heritage Centre mission in September 2002 and presented at the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee (Suzhou, 2004).   Nor does it state whether this project was transmitted to the World Bank for consideration.  Following the Committee’s recommendations, the Centre presented this project to the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) during a meeting that was held at UNESCO on 25 October 2004.   ICOMOS invited the State Party to continue, in coordination with the World Heritage Centre, the negotiations with the representatives of the World Bank for the implementation of the Project for the Conservation and Presentation of the Medina of Essaouira.  

The World Heritage Committee, at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004), was informed that neither the Conservation Plan for the Medina, nor the Master Plan for Territorial Development and Town Planning for the entire agglomeration, elaborated without consultation with the World Heritage Centre, mention the perimeter of the property inscribed on the World Heritage List nor the buffer zone.  Since then, the Centre has received neither the documents, nor any information concerning their revision, prior to their approval by the national authorities, initially foreseen for 2004. 

Following the Committee’s request for the submisison of a report describing all the work being undertaken in the protected zone and in the buffer zone, threatening the integrity of the property, the State Party explained only that a contact and an on-going dialogue had been established with the authorities involved in the current development projects in the utility area near Bab Sbaa and Bab Doukkala.   However, as stated in the report on the state of conservation of the property prepared in February 2005 during the mission of the UNESCO Rabat Office, imposing buildings are being completed on the large square oppoproperty the Doukkala Gate situated within the buffer zone, and in the commercial centre, situated between the Hotel des Iles and the entrance to the Medina, which have attained ground floor level.   Other work concerns the Marrakech Gate, where there are plans for a square and a theatre.   None of these projects have been transmitted to the World Heritage Centre for consideration.  

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2005
29 COM 7B.47
Medina of Essaouira (former Mogador) (Morocco)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7B.Rev,

2. Recalling its Decision 28 COM 15B.45, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),

3. Regrets that, in spite of the efforts of the State Party of Morocco, the state of conservation of the Mellah Quarter and the North Wall has worsened, and that new projects having an irreversible impact on the authenticity of the property have been undertaken;

4. Invites the State Party to inform it, in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, about projects for the current transformation and new construction in the « protected zone and buffer zone» so that the World Heritage Committee can recommend appropriate measures to ensure the preservation of the outstanding universal value of this property;

5. Invites the State Party to define, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre, an implementation strategy, including the budget for the work, of the project for the conservation and presentation of the Medina of Essaouira presented at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004);

6. Encourages the State Party to reinforce the inspection of the Historic Monuments and Sites created at Essaouira and to provide it with adequate human and financial resources to ensure the protection of the property;

7. Invites a joint mission World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS to assess the state of conservation of the property;

8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2006, a report on the implementation of the decisions of the Committee, for its examination at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006).

Draft Decision:29 COM 7B.47 

The World Heritage Committee,

1.              Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7B.Rev,

2.              Recalling its Decision  28 COM 15B.45, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),

3.              Regrets that, in spite of the efforts of the State Party, the state of conservation of the Mellah Quarter and the North Wall has worsened, and that new projects having an irreversible impact on the authenticity of the property have been undertaken;

4.              Invites the State Party to inform it, in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, on the projects for the current transformation and new construction in the « protected zone and buffer zone» so that the Committee can recommend appropriate measures to ensure the preservation of the outstanding universal value of this property;

5.              Invites the State Party to define, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre, an implementation strategy, including the budget for the work, of the project for the conservation and presentation of the Medina of Essaouira presented at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004);

6.              Encourages the State Party to reinforce the Inspection of the Historic Monuments and Sites created at Essaouira and to provide it with adequate human and financial resources to ensure the protection of the property ;

7.              Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2006, a report on the implementation of the decisions of the Committee, for its consideration at its 30th session, in 2006.  

Report year: 2005
Morocco
Date of Inscription: 2001
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iv)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 29COM (2005)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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