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Historic Centre of Agadez

Niger
Factors affecting the property in 2014*
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:

    Need to describe in a unified and practical form the indicators for monitoring the property and the results of their application

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2014
Requests approved: 1 (from 2002-2002)
Total amount approved : 30,000 USD
Missions to the property until 2014**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2014

On 30 January 2014, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1268/documents. Progress on the recommendations made by the Committee at the time of inscription is presented in this report, as follows:

  • A general inventory of the built environment and of the intangible heritage is in progress.
  • Control and compliance measures as well as communication and awareness activities are being used to promote the use of restoration standards to ensure the conservation of the property. Discussions are envisaged to enhance planning regulations and strengthen their outreach.
  • The results of the recently introduced policy to ban the use of non-traditional materials are being monitored. The City and the Conservation and Management Unit of the Historic Centre of Agadez (CECOGAZ) will clarify and make more understandable the technical requirements. This work will continue throughout 2014.
  • Measures are being taken to reduce the size of advertisementsinside the property and buffer zone to an acceptable size (maximum height of 2m and maximum width/length of 80 cm), and to remove some if necessary.
  • Regular monitoring of the state of conservation and management is undertaken by the key parties involved in managing the property.

Progress on other issues raised at the time of inscription are also reported by the State Party:

  • Strategies have been implemented to engage the population and raise awareness about the conservation of the property.
  • A reflection day was organized in 2013 for the benefit of fifteen traditional master masons in order to raise awareness of the general principles of earthen construction, the role of traditional techniques, and the importance of their transmission to the younger generation.
  • For current needs, there is no significant shortfall of the most commonly used traditional wood species (palmier doum).
  • Dossiers are being developed by various organizations such as NGOs to contribute effectively to the difficult sanitation problem in the property.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2014

The strong commitment of the State Party to the conservation and management of the property should be noted; as well as the fact that virtually all the recommendations made by the Committee at the time of inscription in 2013 have been acted upon. The State Party reports that it is continuing to work on the inventory of built and intangible heritage; promoting the use of restoration standards to ensure the conservation of the authenticity of the property; monitoring the results of the recently introduced policy to ban the use of non-traditional materials for walls, rendering, roofs and the renovation of door and window frames; and paying particular attention to the situation of advertisements inside the property and buffer zone and assessing the effectiveness of the measures taken to curb this phenomenon.

In addition, the State Party reports that it has initiated procedures for engaging the population and for raising the population’s awareness about the conservation of the property, and has paid particular attention to the transmission of knowhow concerning traditional construction practices, to the question of traditional wood species which are now becoming rare, and to the question of sanitation in general, both in technical and health terms. The potential for increased tourism to the property should be planned for through a sustainable tourism development and management plan. The State Party could also be encouraged to participate in the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme (WHEAP).

It is recommended that the World Heritage Committee commend the State Party for the actions it has undertaken in response to the Committee’s recommendations at the time of inscription and request the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies, to more fully respond to the Committee’s request to describe in a unified and practical form the indicators for monitoring the property and the results of their application.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2014
38 COM 7B.52
Historic Centre of Agadez (Niger) (C 1268)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 8B.22, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
  3. Commends the State Party for the actions it has undertaken in response to the World Heritage Committee’s recommendations at the time of inscription to continue the inventory of built and intangible heritage, to promote the use of restoration standards, to monitor the results of the recently introduced policy to ban the use of non-traditional materials, and to pay particular attention to the situation of inappropriate advertisements inside the property and buffer zone;
  4. Also commends the State Party for initiating procedures to engage and raise the population’s awareness about the conservation of the property, to transmit knowhow concerning traditional construction practices, to address the issue of rare traditional wood species, and to pay more attention to the question of sanitation;
  5. Congratulates the State Party for its efforts to include local communities - and especially youth and women - in the conservation of the property; and encourages the State Party to develop a sustainable tourism management plan;
  6. Requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to more fully respond to the World Heritage Committee’s request to describe in a unified and practical form the indicators for monitoring the property and the results of their application;
  7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2015, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.

Draft Decision:   38COM 7B.52

The World Heritage Committee,

  1.   Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7B,
  2.   Recalling Decision 37 COM 8B.22, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
  3.   Commends the State Party for the actions it has undertaken in response to the World Heritage Committee’s recommendations at the time of inscription to continue the inventory of built and intangible heritage, to promote the use of restoration standards, to monitor the results of the recently introduced policy to ban the use of non-traditional materials, and to pay particular attention to the situation of inappropriate advertisements inside the property and buffer zone;
  4.   Also commends the State Party for initiating procedures to engage and raise the population’s awareness about the conservation of the property, to transmit knowhow concerning traditional construction practices, to address the issue of rare traditional wood species, and to pay more attention to the question of sanitation;
  5.   Congratulates the State Party for its efforts to include local communities - and especially youth and women - in the conservation of the property; and encourages the State Party to develop a sustainable tourism management plan;
  6.   Requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to more fully respond to the World Heritage Committee’s request to describe in a unified and practical form the indicators for monitoring the property and the results of their application;
  7.   Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.
Report year: 2014
Niger
Date of Inscription: 2013
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iii)
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2014) .pdf
arrow_circle_right 38COM (2014)
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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