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State of Conservation (SOC)

Historic Town of Zabid (2004)

Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0 (from1994-2003)
Total Amount Ap proved: 154,167USD

2003   Safeguarding the Historic Town of Zabid   40,000  USD
2001   Historic City of Zabid (PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED)   50,000  USD
1999   Exposition of the photographs of the architectures in Yemen   167  USD
1998   Construction of the furnace for making mud bricks, a restoration ...   19,000  USD
1994   Preparation of a publication on Zabid   15,000  USD
1994   Urgent protection works in the Historical Town of Zabid   30,000  USD
Missions**
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

Urban Pressure; Lack of capacity in conservation techniques; Lack of management mechanism (including legislation); Lack of monitoring system; Lack of human or financial resources; Lack of institution co-ordination.

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

Within the framework of the International Assistance Request submitted by the Yemeni authorities and approved by the World Heritage Committee at its 27th session, in September-October 2003 a World Heritage expert architect carried out a mission to the World Heritage property of Zabid in order to improve, in close co-operation with the staff of the General Organization for the Preservation of Historic Cities (GOPHCY), the legal and technical aspects of the Preliminary Urban Conservation Plan prepared by the Secretariat in December 2002. The mission also provided an opportunity to start planning the organization of a meeting to coordinate the actions of all the stakeholders, tentatively scheduled for November 2004, and to discuss with the local authorities the possibility of establishing a "Heritage House of Zabid" as a special local Unit of GOPHCY.

 

With respect to the recommendations made by the Committee at its last session, the mission found that the illegal constructions referred to in previous reports, namely the hotel in front of the East gate and the foundations of the Public Works office building, are still in place, while the solid waste issue is not yet solved and new construction works in the historic city have not been halted. The state of conservation of some of the monuments, such as the Mosque Al-Ashaer, has also deteriorated. Outside the walls of the Old City, the Ministry of Public Works is enlarging the inter-regional road. The enlarging of this road could lead to the development of a spontaneous market outside the Old City, which would have a negative impact on the visual integrity of the property. The mission confirmed that the implementation of the Urban Conservation Plan developed in co-operation with the Centre over the past two years, including its regulations, would be the most appropriate means to improve the state of conservation of the property, starting by strengthening the local branch of GOPHCY.

 

At the time of drafting this report (April 2004), the Centre had not yet received the requested progress report from the State Party. However, the Secretariat has been recently informed that the Preliminary Urban Conservation Plan for the Old City may be finalized by June 2004 and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for consideration. The protocols for the financing of the running costs of the Heritage House are still under discussion between the GOPHCY and the Social Fund for Development (SFD).

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

28COM15A.20
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Notes the information provided by the World Heritage Centre on the current state of conservation of the property and the lack of progress in implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee in 2003 (Decision 27 COM 7A.20), notably in the completion and adoption of the Urban Conservation Plan, the halting and removal of illegal constructions, and the strengthening of the local Unit of the General Organisation for the Preservation of the Historic Cities of Yemen (GOPCHY);

2. Strongly urges the State Party to make every effort towards the rapid implementation of these actions, in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre;

3. Also urges the State Party, in particular, to finalise and adopt the Preliminary Urban Conservation Plan, together with its regulations, as soon as possible, and submit a report, by 1 February 2005, on the progress made to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the Committee at its 29th session in 2005;

4. Decides to retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

28COM15C.2
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Following examination of state of conservation reports of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-04/28.COM/15A Rev),

2. Decides to maintain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:

  • Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, Afghanistan (Decision 28 COM 15A.21)
  • Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan (Decision 28 COM 15A.22)
  • Butrint, Albania (Decision 28 COM 15A.28)
  • Tipasa, Algeria (Decision 28 COM 15A.16)
  • Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower, Azerbaijan (Decision 28 COM 15A.29)
  • Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin (Decision 28 COM 15A.14)
  • Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park, Central African Republic (Decision 28 COM 15A.1)
  • Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (Decision 28 COM 15A.2 )
  • Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea (Decision 28 COM 15A.5)
  • Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Democratic Rep. of the Congo (Decision 28 COM 15A.3)
  • Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Rep. of the Congo (Decision 28 COM 15A.3)
  • Virunga National Park, Democratic Rep. of the Congo (Decision 28 COM 15A.3)
  • Garamba National Park, Democratic Rep. of the Congo (Decision 28 COM 15A.3)
  • Salonga National Park, Democratic Rep. of the Congo (Decision 28 COM 15A.3)
  • Sangay National Park, Ecuador (Decision 28 COM 15A.12)
  • Abu Mena, Egypt (Decision 28 COM 15A.17)
  • Simien National Park, Ethiopia
  • (Decision 28 COM 15A.4)
  • Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras (Decision 28 COM 15A.13)
  • Group of Monuments at Hampi, India (Decision 28 COM 15A.24)
  • Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, India (Decision 28 COM 15A.10)
  • Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat), Iraq (Decision 28 COM 15A.18)
  • Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls, Jerusalem (Decision 28 COM 15A.31)
  • Timbuktu, Mali (Decision 28 COM 15A. 15)
  • Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (Decision 28 COM 15A.25)
  • Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves, Niger (Decision 28 COM 15A.6)
  • Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan (Decision 28 COM 15A.26)
  • Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone, Peru (Decision 28 COM 15A.30)
  • Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, Philippines (Decision 28 COM 15A.27)
  • Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, Senegal (Decision 28 COM 15A.7 )
  • Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia (Decision 28 COM 15A.9)
  • Everglades National Park, United States of America (Decision 28 COM 15A.11)
  • Historic Town of Zabid, Yemen (Decision 28 COM 15A.20)

Draft Decision: 28 COM 15A.20

The World Heritage Committee,

 1.       Notes the information provided by the Secretariat on the current state of conservation of the property and the lack of progress in implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee in 2003, notably in the completion and adoption of the Urban Conservation Plan, the halting and removal of illegal constructions, and the strengthening of the local Unit of the GOPCHY;

 2.       Strongly urges the State Party to make every effort towards the rapid implementation of these actions, in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre;

 3.       Urges the State Party, in particular, to finalise and adopt the Preliminary Urban Conservation Plan, together with its regulations, as soon as possible, and submit a report, by 1 February 2005, on the progress made to the Centre for examination by the Committee at its 29th session in 2005;

 4.        Decides to retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Historic Town of Zabid
State Party:
Yemen
Date of Inscription: 1993
Nomination records (Year): 1991
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iv)(vi)
Danger List: Yes
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Threats*
  • Housing
  • Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
  • Ground transport infrastructure
  • Solid waste
  • Illegal activities
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:
    Deteriorated state of some of the monuments
Documents
WHC-04/28.COM/15A.Rev
Other Documents:
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
SOC ID: 1381
Inscription on the Danger List
Year: 2000
Threats to the Site:
  • Serious deterioration of the built heritage (a high percentage of the residential houses being replaced by concrete and multi-storey buildings);
  • The remaining  houses in the city are rapidly deteriorating, due to the prevailing low income of the inhabitants;
  • Since the souq activities have been transferred outside the city, the ancient souq is almost empty and free from any type of activity and the shops are falling apart;
  • The traditional economic role of the city has vanished;
  •  The city in general, is lacking any conservation and rehabilitation strategies.

The Yemeni government asked for Zabid to be inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger to facilitate its preservation.

 


* : 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.