Decision 23 COM XIV.1-12

Examination of the World Heritage Fund and Approval of the Budget for 2000 and Presentation of a Provisional Budget for 2001

XIV.1 The Chairperson presented the following documents concerning the agenda item 14:

• WHC-99/CONF.209/18, which presents the World Heritage Fund, the income and forecasts, the work plan and the proposed budget. This document also presents the justification of the annual requirements of the advisory bodies as well as the accounts of the World Heritage Fund as at 31 December 1998, the detailed financial statement as at 31 December 1998 and the accounts and income of the World Heritage Fund as at 30 September 1999.
• WHC-99/CONF.209/INF.18, which presents the activity reports of ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM undertaken since the twenty-second session of the World Heritage Committee.

The Chairperson then reminded the Committee of the decisions that should be taken during this session:

• Firstly, to take note of the approved accounts of the World Heritage Fund as at 31 December 1998 and of provisional accounts for 1999 as at 31 October 1999.
• Adopt the budgetary ceiling for 2000, allocate budgetary amounts to the different chapters in accordance with the approved ceiling and the decisions of the Committee during its discussions on other items of the agenda,
• Examine and approve the provisional budget for 2001, • Finally, decide upon the situation of the World Heritage Fund and compulsory and voluntary contributions, notably the minimum ceiling and the implementation of resources to improve the availability of financial resources for inscribed sites, and to formalise co-operation with international and regional finance development institutions.

XIV.2 The Deputy Director of the Centre then presented in the following order:

• The available resources for the implementation of the Convention (States Parties' contributions, Regular Programme Budget, extrabudgetary funds, staff costs of the World Heritage Centre), as well as the state of approved accounts of the World Heritage Fund as of 31 October 1999,
• The situation of the World Heritage Centre as at 31 October 1999,
• The budget proposal for 2000 and provisional budget for 2001.

XIV.3 After several questions concerning the Reserve Fund and its provision, the total budget for the World Heritage Fund including funds allocated to promotional activities was approved. This amounted to five million one hundred and fifty six thousand United States dollars (US$ 5,156,000). The provisional budget for the year 2001 was fixed at four million eight hundred and sixty-three thousand United States dollars (US$ 4,863,000 ). The approved Emergency Reserve Fund for 2000 is six hundred thousand United States dollars (US$ 600,000).

XIV.4 The resource situation of the World Heritage Centre was also discussed by the Committee.

As at 31 October 1999, the number of established posts at the Centre was twenty-two, of which eleven are professional posts. Three associate expert posts at the Centre financed by Austria, Germany and Japan. Another associate expert post (Italy) joined the Centre on 8 November 1999.

Income other than the World Heritage Fund available to the World Heritage Centre for 2000 can be estimated as follows:

• US$ 2,463,300 from the Regular Programme of UNESCO of which US$ 1, 928, 850 for staff costs,
• US$ 3,847,350 extrabudgetary funds from Finland, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the United Nations Foundation, as well as other States Parties and finance and development institutions.

The Committee accepted that these funds could be utilised by the Centre in accordance with the objectives specified by the donors until such time as simplified procedures for the approval of these funds be established by the Committee.

XIV.5 The Committee noted that, in spite of a substantial increase in the annual budget of the Fund, the average available amount per site has not varied since 1989 and is approximately US$ 5,000. This clearly demonstrates the lack of resources available from the World Heritage Fund in the face of increasing needs. Following the proposal made by the Secretariat, the Committee requested the Centre to prepare a proposal for the formalisation of co-operation with international funding institutes for development to be studied by the Task Force chaired by Canada before its submission to the twenty-fourth session of the Bureau.

XIV.6 An in-depth discussion on the different components of the budget followed this presentation. The Committee's attention particularly drawn to the amounts proposed for 2000 as follows:

• the development of a Management Information System (US$ 125,000 from Chapter I),
• Coordination with other Conventions and Programmes (US$ 45,000 under Chapter I),
• The amounts proposed for the Advisory Bodies under Chapter II (US$ 435,000 for ICOMOS, $US 325,000 for IUCN) and in Chapter III for ICCROM ($US 127,325),
• Support to the Arab States for the submission of periodic reports in 2000 ($US 140,000) under Chapter IV.

XIV.7 Many delegates intervened to propose that the advisory bodies (ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM) be given the amounts that they had asked and that the budgets reserved for them should not be cut any more. The delegates recalled the considerable increase of nominations during the last years and noted that as the advisory bodies were asked to render more services, they should be paid for that too. The Delegate of Canada wished to recall that this integral approval of the budgets submitted by ICOMOS and IUCN should be considered as an exception to the rule. Furthermore, the Delegate requested that in the future the advisory bodies present their annual budgets and plans according to an agreed upon format.

XIV.8 There was a long discussion about the amount needed for development of an Information Management System. Some delegates noted that the proposed sum of US$ 125,000 was not justified. Other delegates and the Observer of the United States of America recalled the specific recommendation made by the External Auditor on the urgent need to improve the Information Management System and supported the proposal of the Secretariat.

XIV.9 The Delegate of Canada expressed her frustration about the way the budget was currently being discussed and approved. The Delegate proposed that a financial sub-committee be created. This body could have a proper and detailed discussion on the different aspects of the budget, including the budget proposal made by the advisory bodies. Many delegates expressed the same concern and supported the idea of creating a financial subcommittee. The Task Force, chaired by Canada, was asked to reflect on this issue.

XIV.10 The Delegate of Hungary proposed that a separate budget line be created for the Eastern and Central European countries as well as for the countries of Central Asia. This would be in line with UNESCO practice where these countries are addressed as a separate electoral group II. The Delegate of Hungary felt obliged to speak on behalf of these forty-eight countries of which twenty-six fulfil the criteria of least developed countries and are facing serious economical problems. He stated that less financial support should be given to wealthy western European and North American countries, in favour of other regional groups.

XIV.11 The Delegation of the Republic of Korea expressed his concern about the insufficient attention paid to the needs of Asian countries that represent roughly two-thirds of the world population and are under-represented on the World Heritage List. He proposed that these countries be given sufficient financial support under the budget Chapter IV.

XIV.12 The discussions and responses to questions raised by Committee members and observers led to the following decisions of the Committee for the Chapters and components of the budget herebelow:

Chapter I - Implementation of the Convention

• The continuation of the evaluation of International Assistance for an amount of US$ 40,000 of which the use is submitted to the decision of the next Bureau based on the proposal for approval of an impact study to be presented by the Secretariat.
• An amount of US$ 114,000 was approved for the development of a Management Information System instead of the initial US$ 125,000, the remaining amount be covered by the Regular Budget of the Centre. It was agreed that the proposals should be subject to independent evaluation and the Observer of the United Kingdom offered the services of English Heritage for this purpose.
• The amount proposed for coordination with other Conventions and Programmes was reduced to US$ 25,000.

The amount approved for Chapter I amounts to US$ 264,000.

Chapter II - Establishment of the World Heritage List

• A special line is created under the Global Strategy for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe with an allocation of US$ 20,000.
• The sum allocated to ICOMOS for thematic studies amounts to US$ 40,000.
• The budgets of the advisory bodies (ICOMOS and IUCN) are approved as submitted (US$ 495,000 for ICOMOS and US$ 355,000 for IUCN).
• The budget line « other institutions and individuals » was reduced to US$ 20,000.

The sum approved for Chapter II amounts to US$ 1,148,000.

Chapter III - Technical Implementation of the Convention

In the discussion of this Chapter, the Director-General of ICCROM made reference to the proposal for a global training strategy (WHC-99/CONF.209/INF.22 - Progress Report on the Development of a Global Training Strategy for Cultural Heritage in the Framework of the World Heritage Convention). He regretted that given time constraints ICCROM was unable to present the report to the Committee. He then presented the details of his proposed plan of co-operation for 2000. In doing so, the Director-General explained that he was not seeking the financial support for the functioning of ICCROM but rather to cover support costs in the form of external consultants.

• The amount foreseen for ICCROM for training was adjusted in accordance with the decisions of the Committee and amounts to US$ 192,635 including ICCROM management costs and coordination operations for World Heritage as requested by ICCROM. In this respect, the Director of the World Heritage Centre recalled that ICCROM was an intergovernmental organisation receiving contributions from its Member States and that consequently ICCROM should easily be able to cover its management costs within the framework of its budget for co-operation with the Centre.
• The amount foreseen for on-site promotional activities was reduced by US$ 20,000 in favour of the budgetary line for the development of an Information Mangement System (Chapter I).

The other budgetary lines were approved.

The sum approved for Chapter III amounts to US$ 2,630,000.

Chapter IV - Reactive Monitoring and Submission of Periodic Reports

For reactive monitoring, it was decided to add a special budgetary line for state of conservation monitoring activities for Kakadu National Park (Australia) by ICSU for an amount of US$ 61,000. The Delegate of Australia noted that this allocation flowed from the decision of the recent extraordinary session of the Committee and that the State Party was concerned at delays in carrying out this work.

The distribution of allocated funds for support to States Parties for the submission of periodic reports was discussed at length and revised as shown in the budget table.

The sum approved under Chapter IV amounts US$ 622,000.

Chapter V - Documentation, Information and Education

The amount for this Chapter was approved without any modifications.

The following table provides details of the approved budget by Chapter and component.

Approved budget for 2000 and provisional budget for 2001