Old Walled City of Shibam

• Floods (issue previously reported as being resolved)
• Poor  maintenance (issue previously reported as being resolved)

On 20 March 2015, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/192/documents/.

The State Party has reported that Yemen continues to suffer significant political and socio-economic disturbances which affect conservation and development and that the property is also subject to degradation from natural causes including rains and floods. There were significant floods in 2013 but only some of the damage from these floods has been addressed, with support of the Daw’an Mud Brick Architecture Foundation, during 2014.

Noting that the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) involvement at the property ceased in 2010, the State Party reports that there are no ongoing physical conservation programs, yet 20 significant buildings are currently subject to severe damage, 60 to medium damage and 22 to minor damage. The State Party further reports that the security situation is preventing further donor funding or administrative support.

The Ministry of Culture, represented by the General Organization for the Preservation of Historic Cities in Yemen (GOPHCY) in collaboration with the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ), has prepared a draft National Strategy for the Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020, (Republic of Yemen, Ministry of Culture, GOPHCY). During 2015, it is proposed that an Action Plan will be developed in line with the strategic objectives of the Strategy.

Local authorities have made approaches to potential donors and supporters seeking urgent assistance.

Regrettably, the security situation in Yemen is preventing both effective heritage management and physical conservation works within the property. Future donor support is therefore necessarily constrained unless and until the security situation improves.

There may be short-term opportunities to put appropriate heritage management documents in place, pending progress with security, site access and donor support.

In 1998, the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee had previously invited the Yemeni authorities to prepare an overall management plan and to consider initiating a large-scale rehabilitation programme in co-operation with potential regional and international partners. These initiatives might potentially be pursued, notwithstanding the security and site access issues.

The preparation of the draft: National Strategy for the Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020 is welcome, but it is important that the Action Plan arising from the strategy specifically address this property and include provisions for fostering community support and awareness, and international involvement in heritage management, as well as identification of physical conservation requirements.

It would be desirable for a further Reactive Monitoring mission to visit the property and consider progress with the corrective measures, as soon as the situation allows.

Finally, a report on the state of conservation of the property should be requested for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session, in order to assess the evolution of  the situation in the country and whether the property is facing an ascertained or potential danger.