Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a)

a) Unstable structures and lack of security;

b) Lack of comprehensive conservation plan;

c) Lack of management structure and plan;

d) Important tourism development project with new constructions.

Total amount provided to the property: USD 6,000 from the Italian Funds-in-Trust

At its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008), the World Heritage Committee congratulated the State Party for the conservation measures undertaken since the reactive monitoring mission of November 2006, and noted the steps being taken by the State Party to address the threat of loss of Outstanding Universal Value, and sustaining the property’s authenticity and integrity; the World Heritage Committee considered that there was no need to include the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The World Heritage Committee further requested the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre a detailed documentation of all initiatives mentioned in its 2008 state of conservation report, and supplementary information on the new management structure and staffing, the completion and initial operations of the visitor’s centre, the definitive organization of the pathway system, progress in development of the conservation plan and in the elaboration of a management plan. It also encouraged the State Party to: develop a financial system with a minimum annual operations budget, prepare a possible revision of the boundaries of the property and buffer zone, and also develop a timeframe for the implementation of short and long term corrective measures (conservation, maintenance and monitoring plans for ongoing consolidation and security works), as well as a needed archaeological research policy.

The State Party submitted the state of conservation report by letter dated 31 March 2009. Concerning management, the report only details numbers of new staff appointed, and mentions installation of a new electronic security system. A state of conservation summary includes information on new fencing for the entire site, new works carried out on the St. Stephane complex including its shelter, new organization and completion of the pathway system, (including extension of a road from the visitor’s centre to the St. Stephane complex, and beyond to the stylite tower), completion of the visitor’s centre (now partly in use for tourist police but not yet offering visitor’s services), and acquisition of parcels of land to strengthen the integrity of the property.

The State Party report does not mention the alarming state of conservation of the Stylite tower that led to its request for International Assistance, granted in February 2009. This technical assistance aims at undertaking all the necessary studies for the elaboration of a restoration project for the tower, including the urgent dismantling of the cella on the top of the structure and the consolidation of the scaffolding.

However, the State Party report notes that a solid financial system that would permit the functioning of the Visitor’s Centre, provide for a permanent operations budget for the property and permit for implementation of short and long term corrective measures, is not yet in place.

It is also important to note that the State Party’s report does not provide the new information concerning progress in developing either the conservation plan or the management plan for the property, as requested by the World Heritage Committee. The State Party has also not provided the technical report documenting all initiatives described in its 2008 report, nor does the State Party report note progress in preparing a revision of the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are concerned however that most of the progress described in the State Party report concerns expenditure made under the European Commission project, and that the needed efforts from the State Party to develop and implement urgently the management plan (including a comprehensive conservation plan and an archaeological research policy) and fully supportive financial system requested by the World Heritage Committee have not progressed.

The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS are also concerned with the State Party report references to building and completing roads on site, given the strong objections raised by the World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS mission of March 2008 to roads running from the site entrance to the church complex, and the earlier decision of the State Party to abandon road–building within the sensitive archaeological site, following the 2006 mission.