Decision 43 COM 7B.104

Asmara: A Modernist African City (Eritrea) (C 1550)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.11, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
3. Commends the State Party for its commitment to address the concerns raised over the management requirements for the property;
4. Acknowledges the information provided by the State Party regarding the advances in the development of the Urban Conservation Master Plan (UCMP) and the Asmara Planning and Technical Regulation (APTR), as well as the timelines for their completion in 2019, and thanks the State Party of the Netherlands for offering financial support towards the finalization of these documents using the Historic Urban Landscape approach;
5. Requests the State Party to finalize and submit to the World Heritage Centre both the UCMP and the APTR, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Also requests the State Party to:
   1. Urgently complete the issuing of the specific protective designations for the property, as previously requested and as per the provisions of the Eritrean Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation (2015), with an implementation calendar to monitor advancements in this regard,
   2. Finalize the financial strategy and establish the proposed Conservation Fund for the sustained conservation and management of the property, and for capacity building;
7. Further requests the State Party to specify how the Asmara Heritage Project will act as a central management body for all aspects related with the property and will liaise and coordinate with other governmental authorities responsible for urban planning and development in and around the World Heritage property;
8. Strongly invites the State Party to seek international financial and technical support towards the preparation of detailed conservation proposals, including criteria, methods and materials to be used for the conservation and restoration of the 14 historical buildings identified as an initial priority conservation and restoration phase and submit such proposals to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 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 45th session in 2021.