Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara

• Lack of approved boundaries for the property and buffer zones linked to the land-use plans and appropriate protection
• Deterioration of the architectural heritage fabric
• Sea wave erosion
• Theft of stone from ruins for use as building material
• Lack of functioning local consultative committee
• Lack of implementation of the conservation and management plans

Deterioration and decay leading to the collapse of the historical and archaeological structures for which the property was inscribed 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1586

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1586

Total amount granted: 201,390 USD from the Norwegian Funds-in-Trust for UNESCO rehabilitation project

On 1 December 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/144/documents/ and provides the following progress:

• The Land Use Plan for Songo Mnara is now in place and was submitted to the World Heritage Centre in April 2016 together with the Integrated Management Plan;
• The Land Use Plan for Kilwa Kisiwani has not been prepared owing to a change of status from village to a suburb. However, the State Party proposes to prepare either a general management plan or interim Land Use Plan and has indicated that the site is not vulnerable to destruction because of the absence of the Land Use Plan;
• The updated Management Plan is not yet finalized, but is nearing completion;
• A further five years will be required by the State Party to complete physical works to the remaining 30% of ruins, particularly Husuni Ndogo, and to control sea wave erosion. This work will require substantial international support;
• There are no plans for major works at the property other than ongoing construction of amenities at the German Rest House in Kilwa Kisiwani

In view of the substantial progress made towards the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) adopted in 2008 (Decision 32 COM 7A.14), the property was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger (Decision 38 COM 7A.27) in 2014.

Although the target benchmark of 70% of monuments being conserved has been achieved, protective works and physical conservation are continuing. In April 2016 the State Party submitted a report on works to strengthen the coastal Sea Wall on the Gereza Fort in Kilwa Kisiwani, and to protect the structure from destructive wave action. This work was supported by funding from UNESCO in response to an International Assistance Request.

However, a number of actions and programmes identified in the report of the joint UNESCO/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission which occurred in December 2013 (mission report available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/144/documents/) are still required to ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is preserved. These include:

• definition of the boundaries of the property and its buffer zones;
• finalization and completion of the updated Management Plan;
• formulation of a draft Sustainable Tourism Development Plan;
• finalization of the Land Use Plan for Kilwa Kisiwani.

In addition, the current management structure of the property should continue to be maintained and supported and additional resources are required to ensure the sustainability of conservation and maintenance interventions. It is important that the momentum and achievements over the last decade be continued, so that the OUV of the property is conserved.