Decision 39 COM 7B.73

Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures (Uzbekistan) (C 603rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7B.69, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Notes the progress made with the implementation of the Management Plan and efforts of the State Party to strengthen the protection of the property;
4. Takes note that no further information was provided regarding the development of the Draft Traffic Scheme, which is a crucial planning tool for Samarkand, and recommends further dialogue between the State Party, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies as this is developed;
5. Invites the State Party to provide confirmation that the implementation of the Management Plan is assured through adequate human and financial resources within the responsible government bodies;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party that construction and infrastructure projects should be anticipated within the framework of the Traffic Scheme and the Management Plan and that the World Heritage Committee shall be notified prior to any major restorations or new constructions which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse, in conformity with the Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines; 
7. Encourages the State Party to apply the UNESCO Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape (HUL, 2011), as a useful tool to help manage the rapid urbanization and development of the property;
8. 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 review by the Advisory Bodies.