1. Having examined Document WHC-15/11EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Recalling its Decision 39 COM 17, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
2. Elects the United Republic of Tanzania as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee whose mandate will be until the end of the 40th session of the Committee (July 2016).

• Chairperson: H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa (Bahrein)
• Vice-Chairpersons: Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Spain, Zimbabwe
• Rapporteur: Ms Anna Zeichner (Hungary)

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/12EXT.COM/4,
2. Decides to approve the International Assistance request from Palau entitled “Responding to the threat of feral cat introduction to the Rock Island Southern Lagoon World Heritage area”, for an amount of US$ 139,505 under the Emergency Assistance budget.

1. Having examined Document WHC/20/14EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Decides to suspend Rule 2.1 of its Rules of Procedure.

1. Having examined Document WHC/20/14.EXT.COM/4,
2. Recalling the extreme exceptional circumstances that prevailed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide,
3. Also recalling Decision COM/BUR.1.3 by which the Bureau of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, taking into account the prevailing sanitary situation worldwide, including travel restrictions, considered that the conditions for a session of the World Heritage Committee in 2020 were not met,
4. Decides to hold an extended 44th session in June/July 2021 in Fuzhou (China);
5. Also decides that all items and sub-items that were foreseen for examination in 2020 and 2021 by its previous decisions, be examined at its extended 44th session in 2021;
6. Requests the Advisory Bodies to propose an exceptional extension of the deadlines in accordance with the Operational Guidelines and without creating a precedent for the completion of pending Evaluation missions for nominations to be presented for examination by the World Heritage Committee in the year 2021, so as to allow the largest number of files, from the broadest geographical base, to be examined at its extended 44th session;
7. Further decides that nominations presented for examination of the World Heritage Committee in the year 2021 that could not be examined at its extended 44th session be examined at its 45th session, without prejudice to the nominations presented for examination of the World Heritage Committee in 2022, in accordance with the timeframe foreseen in Paragraph 168 of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention;
8. Further recalling Decision 43 COM 17 by which it adopted the Provisional Agenda of its 44th session that should have been held in 2020, adopts the following amended Provisional Agenda for its extended 44th session to be held in 2021 [amendments in bold]:

Provisional Agenda of the extended 44th session in 2021:

Opening session

1. Opening session
2. Admission of Observers

3A.    Adoption of the Agenda

3B.    Adoption of the Timetable

Reports

5A.    Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions

5B.    Reports of the Advisory Bodies

5C.    Progress report on Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World Heritage

5D.    World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

Examination of the state of conservation

7A.    State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger

7B.    State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the World Heritage List

7C.    Draft Updated Policy Document on the impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties

Establishment of the World Heritage List and of the List of World Heritage in Danger

8A.    Tentative Lists submitted by States Parties

8B.    Nominations to the World Heritage List

8C.    Update of the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger

8D.    Clarifications of property boundaries and areas by States Parties

8E.    Review and approval of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value

Global Strategy for a representative, balanced and credible World Heritage List

9A.    Upstream Process

Periodic Reports

10A. Report on the results of the Third cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in the Arab States

10B. Report on the results of the Third cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in Africa

10C.  Progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan(s) for the 2nd Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

10D.  Progress report on the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

Working methods and tools

Financial and administrative matters

Closing session

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/15EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document, and decides to add an item 4 concerning the dates and place of its 45th session.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/15.EXT.COM/3,
2. Recalling the extreme exceptional circumstances that prevailed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and that still prevail in 2021,
3. Also recalling Decision 14 EXT.COM 4 by which it decided to hold an extended 44th session in June/July 2021 in Fuzhou (China),
4. Decides that the extended 44th session will be held from 16 to 31 July 2021[1];
5. Also decides that the extended 44th session will be held according to Format B, as described in Document WHC/21/15.EXT.COM/3, section III.B (“online session”), and adopts the corresponding timetable contained in Annex 3 of the above-mentioned document;
6. Also adopts the Methods of work for the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, as described in Annex 4 of the above-mentioned document;
7. Strongly encourages the convening of informal meetings and negotiations as appropriate on draft decisions and amendments before the session of the Committee and further reiterates the importance of respecting the 24 hours’ time limit of Rule 23.3 of the Rules of Procedure;
8. Requests the Secretariat to propose practical arrangements for casting of the vote, should it become necessary to hold a secret ballot during an online session, to be sent to the Committee members for consultation and approbation by correspondence before the extended 44th session, and also requests the Secretariat to prepare a document clarifying the protocols of an online meeting.

[1] Keeping in mind that 20 July 2021 shall not be a working day.

1. Decides to suspend Rule 4.1 of its Rules of Procedure;
2. Also decides that its 45th session will take place in Kazan, Russian Federation, in June/July 2022;
3. Underlines that the decision of the place for the 45th session is made during the 15th extraordinary session of the Committee due to the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and should not create a precedent to Rule 4.1 of the Rules of the Procedure.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/16EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Recalling Decision 44 COM 16, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/Online, 2021),
2. Elects Italy as Vice-Chairperson of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022);
3. Elects Argentina as Vice-Chairperson of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022);
4. Elects Shikha Jain (India) as Rapporteur of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022).

1. Having examined Document WHC/22/17.EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Having examined Document WHC/22/17.EXT.COM/3,
2. Recalling that the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, initially scheduled from 19 to 30 June 2022, was postponed by the Bureau on 21 April 2022,
3. Considers that the conditions to hold its 45th session in 2022, as foreseen in Decision 44 COM 16, are not met;
4. Decides to suspend Rule 2.1 of its Rules of Procedure for the 2022 ordinary session;
5. Decides to meet again in extraordinary session in the course of January 2023 to take a decision on the date, the venue and the outcome document of the Open-ended Working Group on sites of memory associated with recent conflicts, and consider the provisional agenda of its 45th session, as well as any other matter.

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/18.EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Having examined Documents WHC/23/18.EXT.COM/3 and WHC/23/18.EXT.COM/3.Add,
2. Recalling that the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, initially scheduled from 19 to 30 June 2022, was postponed by the Bureau on 21 April 2022,
3. Also recalling that Rule 2.1 of its Rules of Procedure was suspended at its 17th extraordinary session (Decision 17 EXT.COM 3),
4. Decides to hold its extended 45th session in presentia from 10 to 25 September 2023 in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the Presidency of Her Highness Princess Haifa Al Mogrin (Saudi Arabia), Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO, designated as Chairperson, and also decides that, to give due consideration to Rule 13.3, the other Members of the Bureau shall be as follows: Argentina, Italy, Russian Federation, South Africa, Thailand, and the Rapporteur Ms. Shikha Jain (India) until the end of the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee;
5. Also decides that all items and sub-items that were foreseen for examination in 2022 and 2023 by its previous decisions, be examined at its extended 45th session in 2023;
6. Further recalling Decision 44 COM 16 by which it adopted the provisional agenda for its 45th session, which should have been held in 2022, adopts the following provisional agenda for its extended 45th session, including the additional items already foreseen for 2023 (indicated in bold):

   
   Provisional Agenda of the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee:

   1.    Opening Session

   2.    Admission of Observers

   3.    Adoption of the Agenda and the Timetable

   3A.    Adoption of the Agenda

   3B.    Adoption of the Timetable

   4.    Report of the Rapporteur of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (Fuzhou/online, 2021)

   5.    Report of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies

   5A.    Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions

   5B.    Reports of the Advisory Bodies

   5C.    Priority Africa: a Strategy for World Heritage

   5D.    The World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development

   6.    Follow-up to the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy and Progress report on the World Heritage-related category 2 centres

   7.    State of conservation of World Heritage properties

   7A.    State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger

   7B.    State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the World Heritage List

   8.    Nomination process

   8A.    Tentative Lists submitted by States Parties

   8B.    Nominations to the World Heritage List

   8C.    Update of the World Heritage List and of the List of World Heritage in Danger

   8D.    Clarifications of property boundaries and areas by States Parties

   8E.    Review and approval of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value

   9.    Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List

   9A.    Upstream Process

   10.    Periodic Reports

   10A. Report on the results of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in Asia-Pacific

   10B.  Report on the results of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in Latin America and the Caribbean

   10C.  Follow-up on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Africa and Arab States regions

   10D.  Progress report on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

   10E.  Progress report on the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

   11.    Follow-up to Recommendations of Evaluations and Audits on Working Methods and outcomes of the ad-hoc Working Group

   12.    Revision of the Operational Guidelines

   13.    50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention

   14.    International Assistance

   15.    Presentation of the final accounts of the World Heritage Fund for 2020-2021, Report on the execution of the budget for the biennium 2022-2023, Budget proposal of the World Heritage Fund under the biennium 2024-2025 and Follow up Decision 44 COM 14

   16.    Other business

   17.    Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee

   18.    Provisional Agenda of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee

   19.    Adoption of Decisions

   20.    Closing session

7. Takes note of the number of evaluations of nominations carried out by ICOMOS in 2022 and decides to provide an additional USD 409,163 to enable ICOMOS to fund the evaluation of 50 nominations in 2022-2023.