Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region

• Land conversion
• Deterioration as a result of exposure to difficult environmental conditions such as wind with sand and floods
• Urban encroachment
• Absence of a management plan with government commitment
• Flooding
• Ground transport infrastructure
• Housing
• Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
• Management systems / management plan
• Wind and Desertification

On 14 June 2020, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, an executive summary of which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1073/documents/. It provides updated information on progress and challenges in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee, as follows:

• There have been challenges in the implementation of the decisions of the Committee and the recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission. These are mainly due to the April 2019 revolution in Sudan, which resulted in the appointment of a new transitional government, in addition to the coronavirus pandemic. A new Director-General for the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) was appointed in February 2020 and a new management structure has been established;
• Discussions have commenced to address the recommendations concerning boundaries, the creation of a buffer zone and the regulation of ownership of land within and surrounding the components of the property. Potential changes in legislation and regulations are required. NCAM received a grant from the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) to survey the boundaries of the property;
• Conservation monitoring has been established at Kurru and a shelter has been installed over the rock-cut temple. The conservation of the pyramids at Gebel Barkal and Nuri will be a priority of NCAM, supported by the archeological missions;
• Assistance from the international community with resources and training to manage the property is essential, as NCAM relies on international archeological teams to support excavations, management and conservation;
• Archaeological excavation has occurred at Gebel Barkal, Sanam and Nuri. The backfilling of archeological features at Sanam is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2020;
• Construction of the entrance building at Kurru has been halted. However, recommendations related to moving Gebel Barkal museum and the adjacent new visitor centre, removing the nearby hotel construction, and building improved tomb covers at Zuma have not been implemented, owing to lack of funding and other constraints;
• Means to prevent vehicles from accessing the property at Gebel Barkal have been introduced, and vehicle traffic has been stopped in some sites. Further work is required to ensure that vehicles will not be able to enter any of the properties indefinitely;
• A database for objects in the Gebel Barkal Museum is in preparation, with 500 entries included to date;
• Revision of the 2007 Management Plan for the site has been proposed, in light of the recent work carried out and the evolving circumstances at the property.

The efforts and commitment of the State Party, despite challenges which have impeded full implementation of the decisions of the Committee and recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission, are appreciated. Moreover, there have been efforts to reform policies and procedures, which if implemented could contribute to enhancing capacity to manage the site.

However, the deterioration of many components continues to have an adverse impact on the authenticity and integrity of the property and to threaten the attributes which convey its OUV. The 2019 mission expressed great concerns about the overall state of conservation of the property and identified the need for urgent further protection measures. The State Party has acknowledged that a number of temples, the Meroitic city and the Pyramids are in a poor general state of conservation with fabric degrading, and impacts from environmental factors such as flash flooding, wind and sand erosion, rising water tables and humidity, are still ongoing. Moreover, rainfall during September 2020, has resulted in flooding of the Blue Nile and posing a potential threat to the property.

Although the State Party has commenced steps to preserve the property such as preventing vehicle entry, additional efforts are required. It is recommended that the Committee continue to express serious concern at the overall state of conservation of the property, which is seriously threatened on various levels, and urge the State Party to implement fully the recommendations of the 2019 mission. Until conservation of the existing archaeological structures is ensured, no new archaeological excavations should occur. The need for more effective coordination of international archaeological missions, which was highlighted in Decision 43 COM 7B.54, remains.

The 2019 mission recommended that the State Party elaborate a 5-year Action Plan to carry out activities to address the management structure and legal instruments, inventory and documentation, conservation and restoration, development and community involvement and tourism management. It is recommended that the Committee urge the State Party to prepare a comprehensive action plan, as required by the mission report, to address these matters. This would be a first step towards the development of an efficient management mechanism and could set the groundwork for future update of the Management Plan.

The halt to construction of the entrance building at Kurru is welcome, but other projects such as moving Gebel Barkal museum and the adjacent new visitor centre, removing hotel construction in the vicinity of the property, and building improved tomb covers at Zuma remain outstanding. In light of the encroaching urbanisation, and potential development projects in the property and buffer zone, it is recommended that the Committee remind the State Party of its obligation to submit prior notifications of major projects, which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines. This would assist in determining those projects which require further consideration through a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) or Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA).

Clarification of the property boundaries and the creation of a buffer zone remain pending. The State Party has acknowledged this challenge and has acquired international support. Discussions are ongoing to develop appropriate regulations. It is recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to continue its efforts to clarify the boundaries and submit a minor boundary modification for the creation of a buffer zone, as a matter of urgency.

• A mission was undertaken to Sudan from 2 to 17 November 2020, with the support of the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund to assess the impact of the 2020 floods on World Heritage properties and other archeological sites in Sudan. The mission resulted in several recommendations regarding pressing issues, including rising groundwater and flooding at the property. An Emergency Assistance request has been submitted and is currently under review.

In order to improve tourism management, and with the support of the Netherlands Fund-in-Trust, UNESCO in collaboration with NCAM, began the implementation of a project in March 2020, with the objective of developing a sustainable tourism strategy for the property, taking into account the aspirations of the local communities. The collaborative work underway with the local community at Kurru was recommended by the 2019 mission as an example to apply more widely.  

Urgent measures need to be implemented at the property to reverse the alarming level of deterioration. In light of the information provided and the support needed by the State Party, it is recommended that the Committee call on the international community to support the urgent protection and management work required through financial and technical assistance. At its 43rd session the Committee agreed to allow one more year before considering, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger (Decision: 43 COM 7B.54). In view of the circumstances of the property and particular challenges of the past year, it is also recommended that the Committee allow one further year before consideration of the possible inscription of the property in the List of World Heritage in Danger, in line with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines.