Decision 45 COM 7B.44

Bagan (Myanmar) (C 1588)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.3,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.20 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the significant efforts that have been made towards implementing the recommendations it made at the time of the property’s inscription on the World Heritage List;
4. Expresses its sympathy to the people of Myanmar, who have been affected by a tropical cyclone in May 2023, notes with concern that the cyclone may have affected the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and emphasizes that a number of emergency assistance mechanisms are available under the Convention to assist, if needed;
5. Welcomes the completion of the revisions to the boundaries of components 6 and 7 and to the buffer zone of component 4, the installation of boundary markers for the property components and buffer zone, and the completion of the registration and grading of all monuments located in the property and its buffer zone;
6. Welcomes the adoption of the Cultural Heritage Regions Law (2019), the Building By-Law (2020), and the formal establishment of the Bagan National Coordinating Committee (BAGANCOM) and other coordinating mechanisms for the management system, and encourages a review of the effectiveness and operations of the governance structures and the operation of the Integrated Management Framework as part of the planned 5-year review in 2024;
7. Acknowledges that progress in relation to some of the Committee’s recommendations has been affected by recent and current conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and that this has had a major impact on the operation of the governance arrangements, research planning and tourism;
8. Encourages the continuation of further progress with all actions identified at the time of inscription, and especially with:
   1. Regular meetings of the Bagan International Coordinating Committee (BICC) and the development of formal agreements with all international missions working at Bagan,
   2. The Bagan Sustainable Tourism Strategy, including post-COVID-19 considerations,
   3. Develop the Bagan Hotel Strategy in consultation with ICOMOS and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and based on the Bagan Hotel Strategy Scoping Study (2020), identifying zones within which hotels can be located and ensuring that Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) are undertaken before any new hotel development or expansion is undertaken,
   4. The Bagan Disaster Risk Management Strategy, ensuring that it is associated with the monitoring system and responsive to damages arising from identified pressures, such as weather events,
   5. The Archaeological Risk Management Strategy for the property, buffer zone and wider setting,
   6. Capacity-building and framework development for Impact Assessments, in conformity with the new Guidance for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context, and conducting further HIA studies for the Bagan-Nyaung Oo Airport project once the planning stage is further advanced;
9. Notes the ongoing efforts regarding research, consolidation of data collection, professional development and site monitoring, and also encourages continued progress with the ‘One Map’ initiative, archaeological research and data collection, the development of a monitoring system based on inventories of the tangible and intangible attributes of Bagan, and the implementation of the Bagan Agriculture Sector Strategy;
10. Notes the conclusions and concerns identified in ICOMOS Technical Review of the road construction and tree planting program within the boundaries of the World Heritage property, and requests:
    1. an archaeological report on the ground disturbance caused by the recent road works and tree planting, in accordance with the ICOMOS Technical Review, including an analysis of taphonomy, soil profiles and any artefacts exposed by the works,
    2. a landscape study that characterizes the landscape during key historical phases to assist with the identification of appropriate tree species for future greening programmes;
11. Reminds the need to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information on any ongoing and future works, including any restoration works for damage occurring within the property or its buffer zone that may affect the OUV of the property, along with any associated Impact Assessments, in accordance with Paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
12. Finally requests the submission to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, of 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 47th session.