Decision 41 COM 7A.32

Abu Mena (Egypt) (C 90)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7A.9, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Continues to express great concern regarding the state of conservation of the property and the low level of implementation of the recommended corrective measures;
4. Notes that the State Party has submitted a schedule of management actions and projects, but urges it to prepare a comprehensive integrated Management Plan for the property;
5. Also urges the State Party to proceed with comprehensive implementation of the corrective measures, to protect and conserve the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, with particular attention to the Management Plan and the following issues:
   1. Preparation of a conservation plan for the entirety of the property, which includes a condition survey and the identification of priority interventions to ensure stabilization of archaeological remains,
   2. Removal of inadequate new constructions and the creation of facilities to allow for religious uses in areas outside the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone;
6. Welcomes the ‘Efficiency-Raising and Maintenance of the Groundwater Lowering’ project, but reiterates its request that the State Party undertake an analysis of ways to address the underlying causes of the rising water table and elaborate a project to address them, as well as mitigation measures for the archaeological remains once the water table has been lowered and stabilized;
7. Also notes that the State Party has invited a technical Advisory mission to the property to provide advice on appropriate irrigation and water management technologies;
8. Requests the State Party to submit a revised modification of the boundaries of both the property and buffer zone, in accordance with Paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines, for examination by the World Heritage Committee;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the proposed visitor centre, which has particular regard to potential impact on the OUV of the property, and is prepared in accordance with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details for all other on-going or planned restoration interventions at the property, particularly those at the Great Basilica, the reburial strategy, and initiatives arising from the project for restoration and rehabilitation of the property prepared by the Ministry of Antiquities and the Abu Mena Monastery administration, for review prior to implementation;
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
12. Decides to retain Abu Mena (Egypt) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.