The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/10B,
- Recalling Decision 40 COM 10B.3 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
- Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting for the Arab States;
- Thanks the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), based in Bahrain, for its contribution towards supporting follow-up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States, especially for the countries which are affected by armed conflicts;
- Invites the Arab States to increase their cooperation with the World Heritage Centre in order to reinforce the capacities of the national heritage professionals in the field of conservation and management of the World Heritage properties;
- Notes with concern that the safeguarding of cultural heritage in countries of the region which are affected by conflicts remains one of the priorities of the Regional Programme and requires more human and financial resources;
- Reminds the Arab States which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2018 at the latest, as well as clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2017 at the latest;
- Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan(s) for the Arab States every two years as from 2019 (43rd session).