Tomb of Askia

• Lack of site management
• Armed conflict

• Occupation of Gao city by armed groups
• Inability to ensure daily management in the protection and conservation of the property
• Risk of collapse of the property

In progress

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6623 

In progress

Total amount granted: UNESCO Emergency Fund: USD 40,000; Action Plan for the rehabilitation of cultural heritage and the safeguarding of ancient manuscripts in Mali: USD 50,000; USD 500,000 funded by the International Alliance for the Protection of heritage in conflict areas (ALIPH) for the rehabilitation of the property; African World Heritage Fund: USD 15,000 for the documentation and development of the historical burial grounds of the Tomb of Askia necropolis in Gao.

On 31 January 2022, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property (available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1139/documents/), providing the following information:

• Despite persistent insecurity, the state of conservation of the property is improving progressively. The involvement of local communities, particularly youth and women, in the management, restoration and maintenance have been decisive in the progress made;
• The “Project for the Rehabilitation of the Tomb of Askia”, financed by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Zones (ALIPH) and operationally launched on 10 March 2020, is underway despite an administrative delay encountered;
• Implemented by the National Directorate of Cultural Heritage, CRAterre, the Cultural Mission of Gao and the auditing firm 'Pyramis', in collaboration with local communities, the project includes the following activities (ongoing or already completed):

• Consolidation of the physical structures of the property,
• Training of masons and guides,
• Development of the ablutions area,
• Rehabilitation of the electrical installation,
• Construction of latrines,
• Rehabilitation of the fence,
• Replacement of metal doors with wooden ones,
• Planting and regeneration of hasu plants in the courtyard of the Tomb of Askia and supplying the site with hasu poles,
• Production of booklets and a conservation manual,
• Provision of computer equipment and materials to the Cultural Mission of Gao;

• The reduction of the height of the enclosure wall is proposed to improve the visibility of the property;
• In 2021, other activities included Management Committee consultations on the liberation of the buffer zone, radio broadcasts on animal roaming within the property, and guided tours for school children;
• The project to develop parking areas in front of the main gate of the property and behind the asphalt road has been abandoned;
• It is proposed to fence off the buffer zone with a low wall and to intensify information and awareness-raising activities around the site;
• A project for the documentation and development of the historic graves of the Necropolis, financed by the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), was scheduled to start in February 2022;
• The National Blue Shield Committee has been established and presented in a brochure on African National Committees produced in partnership with the German Committee;
• The Management and Conservation Plan for the Tomb of Askia (2018-2022) has come to an end and the need for its evaluation is mentioned;
• The security situation is identified as the main threat to the property, despite the progress made by the State Party's defense and security forces.

The work on the development of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) carried out since 2022 will be finalized during 2023.

The State Party report on the property suggests that the conservation and effective and sustainable management of the property is progressing well and with promise. Indeed, it appears that the ALIPH-funded rehabilitation project has been able to trigger a significant dynamic mobilization by the State Party and especially at the local community level to address several aspects dedicated to the conservation and promotion of the property. These include the structural and physical consolidation of the building, developments within the property itself as well as in the buffer zone, the planting and regeneration of hasu plants, the provision of equipment and computer material to the Cultural Mission of Gao, communication, consultation and awareness-raising efforts, and the involvement of local communities, in particular young people, and women, in the various actions. The State Party is strongly encouraged to continue along these lines, while ensuring that the implementation of the project, for which the ‘Pyramis’ auditing firm was hired to provide support following the administrative delay, is speeded up.

The State Party is also to be congratulated for having set up a National Blue Shield Committee and for having succeeded in mobilizing additional funds for the documentation and development of the historic graves of the necropolis, through funding from the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF). The previous request that the State Party ensure coordination with the different partners and donors of the projects developed for the mobilization of funds should be recalled, in order to ensure greater coherence between the actions and to provide for the establishment of a system of consultation between these partners for effective monitoring.

The abandonment of the project to develop car parks in front of the main gate of the property and behind the asphalt road, as well as the plans to improve the visibility of the property by reducing the height of its boundary wall, are welcomed, demonstrating the attention given to the property beyond the building itself. However, with regard to the proposed construction of low walls to enclose the buffer zone, it is recommended that the Committee invite the State Party to submit more details, including signage and monitoring of the urban planning standards to be applied, in order to better understand the contribution of the project to the preservation of the site.

Noting that the management and conservation plan for the property expired in 2022 and will need to be updated, the State Party should be requested to submit the draft updated management plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

Overall, all 10 corrective measures are now underway or even finalized, although financial means, outside of current funding, for conservation and sustainable management remain precarious. It should also be recalled that these corrective measures were adopted by the Committee in 2016, but without a Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) having been developed.

It is therefore noted with appreciation that the development of the DSOCR is being finalized. This initiative, consisting of a capacity building and remote and field assistance programme, is led by CRAterre-ENSAG (Grenoble/France) and a national consultant in partnership with the National Directorate of Cultural Heritage (DNPC) targeting all three of the Malian properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger ('Tomb of Askia', 'Timbuktu' and 'Ancient Towns of Djenné'). It is implemented within the framework of the World Heritage Centre "Strategy for developing the desired state of conservation with a view to the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger in the Africa region 2021-2025”, and is financially supported by the Government of Norway in several African countries. This process is therefore welcomed. It is hoped that the development of the DSOCR and the positive evolution noted for the implementation of the corrective measures will lead to the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger in the short term.

In the meantime, it is recommended that the Committee decide to retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and to continue to apply the reinforced monitoring mechanism for the property.