Decision 39 COM 7B.49

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (Egypt) (C 87)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7B.48, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Noting the maintenance and restoration works carried out at the property, as well as proposed site development activities outlined in the state of conservation report,
4. Expresses its concern about the factors affecting the property and the seeming lack of a comprehensive policy, which constitutes a threat to the integrity of the property;
5. Urges the State Party to develop, as a matter of priority, an integrated management plan for the property and to reduce all interventions and development measures until such a plan has been developed and adopted;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party, in accordance to Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to provide detailed information on the planning and design of proposed and on-going projects, in particular those related to infrastructure development, including Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), for review by the Advisory Bodies, prior to approval and implementation;
7. Also requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to consider the above, evaluate the state of conservation of the property and assist the State Party in elaborating the terms of reference for the development of an integrated management plan;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017.