Decision 43 COM 7A.55

Tomb of the Askia (Mali) (C 1139)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.15, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Warmly welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State Party to ensure the conservation and the management of the property and the implementation of the corrective measures, notably through the application of the 2018-2022 Management and Conservation Plan, with the participation and involvement of the different actors in the management of the property, in particular the administrative and political authorities;
4. Commends, in particular, the mobilization of the youth who organize guided tours, training sessions, and exchange meetings on heritage protection, as well as the security and peace-keeping forces through their regular visits to the property;
5. Also commends the rehabilitation and installation of the Sahel Museum at Gao into new premises and its endowment of a new exhibition and enhancement of its collection, including a section highlighting the revival of cultural activities following the 2012 crisis, including the post-crisis plastering of the Tomb of Askia which valorises and promotes cultural heritage;
6. Takes note of the implementation of the ongoing International Assistance for the restoration and stabilization of the property and the hasu tree plantation, but exhorts the State Party to avoid all tree plantations of eucalyptus inside the property likely to weaken it, and to accelerate implementation of the restoration, rehabilitation and maintenance work of the building serving as a men’s prayer space, notably the roof damaged by torrential rains in August 2017;
7. Congratulates the State Party for the mobilization of funds from the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) to initiate a full rehabilitation project carried out by the National Directorate of Cultural Heritage of Mali in collaboration with the CRAterre Association, and requests it to submit to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies all available information on this programme, to ensure that the actions are carried out in coherence, synergy and complementarity with, in particular, those actions of the UNESCO Bureau in Bamako, in the framework of the Action Plan for the rehabilitation of cultural heritage and the safeguarding of the ancient manuscripts of Mali;
8. Recognizes the efforts deployed to strengthen conservation capacities of the property, reiterates its appeal to the State Party and the international community to support capacity-building of the Cultural Mission and provide it, as well as the actors and concerned parties regularly collaborating with the Mission, with financial and logistical means, notably to develop the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
9. Also 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 continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
11. Also decides to retain the Tomb of Askia (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.