The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7B.106 and 36 COM 7B.107 , adopted at its 36th session (Saint-Petersburg, 2012),
3. Commends the State Party for having requested emergency assistance from the World Heritage Fund to implement priority actions to strengthen the protection of the Timbuktu property;
4. Expresses its concern regarding the damage caused to the Timbuktu property, in particular to the 11 mausoleums and the door on the western side of the Djingareyberre Mosque and the lack of maintenance and conservation activities concerning the other elements that constitute the property, which threatens the conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of Timbuktu;
5. Also expresses its concern with regard to the State Party’s inability to field a mission to evaluate the precise state of conservation of the property and propose measures for the preservation of its OUV, due to armed conflict;
6. Thanks the Director-General of UNESCO for the efforts deployed to respond to Decisions 36 COM 7B.106 and 36 COM 7B.107, notably through the creation of a Special Account to safeguard Mali cultural heritage and raise awareness within the international community;
7. Also thanks France, Mali and UNESCO for having organized a solidarity day for Mali during which an international expert meeting was held resulting in the adoption of an Action Plan for the rehabilitation of cultural heritage and the ancient manuscripts of Mali;
8. Further thanks the UNESCO expert group on Mali, composed of the Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM), the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the School of African Heritage (EPA), the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and International Center for Earthen architecture, – National Superior School of Architecture in Grenoble (CRAterre-ENSAG) for having contributed to the preparation of this Action Plan in close cooperation with Malian and French experts;
9. Requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to prepare the corrective measures as well as a Desired State of Conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, once the situation in the northern regions of Mali is stable, and after the UNESCO evaluation mission to Timbuktu;
10. Launches an appeal to the State Parties to the World Heritage Convention , African Union, European Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), other African organizations and the international community to contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan for the rehabilitation of the cultural heritage and safeguarding of ancient manuscripts in Mali;
11. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2014 , a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, and specifically the progress achieved for the preservation of its OUV, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 38th session in 2014;
12. Decides to retain Timbuktu (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.