Decision 28 COM 15B.39

Lamu Old Town (Kenya)

The World Heritage Committee,
1. Commends the government of Kenya for its continued commitment to address the concerns over the urban developments on Lamu Island;

2. Recommends that the State Party initiate a management plan for Lamu, and request International Assistance under the World Heritage Fund to develop the plan which should seek to encourage participatory management of the property, as a base for coordinated management;

3. Encourages the State Party to continue exploring the possibility of gradually extending the current limits of the World Heritage Property to cover the whole Lamu Town, the town of Shela and her sand dunes, as well as taking into considerations such natural values as the mangroves;

4. Also recommends that the State Party take all the necessary measures to protect the mangroves opposite the Lamu seafront on the shores of the neighbouring Manda Island, which are important to ensure the integrity of the World Heritage property;

5. Advises the State Party to submit a request of International Assistance to undertake a study, in co-operation with IUCN, on the environmental characteristics of the dunes, which retain the fresh water despite being near the sea, and the measures to protect them, as well as on health, water and energy issues affecting the property;

6. Requests the State Party to submit a detailed report on the progress made on the implementation of the joint World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS mission recommendations, and particularly on the progress made on the establishment of a management plan, by 1 February 2005, for the consideration by the Committee at its 29th session in 2005.