Decision 39 COM 7B.60

Old Walled City of Shibam (Yemen) (C 192)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 22 BUR V.B.72, adopted at the 22nd session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO, 1998),
3. Notes with great concern that the Old Walled City of Shibam is currently subject to significant threats from natural elements, physical changes and a lack of organisational support and material resources for physical conservation projects;
4. Commends the State Party for the preparation of the draft ‘National Strategy for the Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020’ and the proposal for a complementary Action Plan to be developed during 2015 and requests the State Party to ensure that the Action Plan addresses the current situation and include provisions for conservation of damaged buildings, local community awareness and a strategy for attracting international support;
5. Also requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to advise on the proposal for a complementary Action Plan for the National Strategy for the Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020’ to be developed during 2015;
6. Urges the State Party to work towards preparation of a management plan for the property, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Decision 22 BUR V.B.72;
7. Expresses its appreciation for the previous support of Shibam by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) but expresses its regret at the termination of the Yemini/German collaboration in 2010;
8. Further requests, the State Party, as soon as it is feasible to do so, given the current security situation, to consider initiating a large-scale rehabilitation programme for the property, in co-operation with potential regional and international partners;
9. Also decides to inscribe the Old Walled City of Shibam on the World Heritage List in Danger;
10. Also requests the State Party, as soon as it is feasible and in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to develop a set of corrective measures and a timeframe for their implementation, as well as a Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2016, a report on the state of conservation of the property and on the steps taken to implement the recommendations above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 40th session in 2016.