Decision 43 COM 7A.50

Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (Panama) (C 135)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.10, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Regrets that the revised timeframe 2016-2019 that was proposed by the State Party for the full implementation of the programme of corrective measures was not implemented, adopts the revised timeframe for implementation of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) for the period 2019-2023 and urges the State Party to respect this new timeframe in order to ensure that the DSOCR be finally achieved in 2023;
4. Noting that the State Party will implement a number of measures for the protection of the property in the framework of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded project and that the project does not take into consideration some other urgent corrective measures, reiterates its utmost concern about the continued lack of sustained funding from the State Party that jeopardizes the achievement of the DSOCR, which, as a consequence, seriously affects the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
5. Notes the formal delimitation of the Historic Monumental Complex of Portobelo, and requests the State Party to define, as a matter of urgency, boundaries and buffer zones for all components of the property and to submit these as a Minor Boundary Modification;
6. Also recalling the importance of finalizing an integral Management Plan that includes all components of the property and their buffer zones, also urges the State Party to ensure its finalization and subsequent submission to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Recalls that tourism pressure was one of the factors that led to the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and also requests the State Party to consider the improvement of infrastructure and tourist facilities in full coherence with the conservation needs, the carrying capacity and the OUV of the property, as foreseen in the DSOCR;
8. Reminds the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre in due course about tourism developments and new constructions that may have a potential impact on the OUV of the property, before irreversible decisions are made, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
10. Decides to retain Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (Panama) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.