The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/13,
- Decides not to approve the International Assistance request from Madagascar entitled “Support for the removal of the Atsinanana Rainforests property from the List of World Heritage in Danger as decided by the World Heritage Committee”;
- Encourages the State Party of Madagascar to evaluate the outcomes of the implementation of the previous International Assistance request approved in 2010 for the Rainforests of the Atsinanana, and to submit a new International Assistance request focused on the fight against illegal logging and trade of rosewood which are the main reasons for retaining the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
- Decides to approve the following International Assistance requests:
- “Support for Heritage Impact Assessment to protect World Heritage in Lao PDR” (Lao PDR) for an amount of US$ 44,500 under the Conservation & Management-Culture budget. Flexibility is granted within the budget lines dedicated to travel and meetings, in order to accommodate possible adjustments in the implementation of the activities made necessary by the sanitary context related to the Covid-19 pandemic ;
- “Reparation and strengthening of the staircases to the frescos, the visitor platform, the wind-corridor metal bridge and the fragmented rock slabs of the lion staircase of the Sigiriya rock of the Sigiriya Ancient City” (Sri Lanka) for an amount of US$ 91,212 under the Conservation & Management-Culture budget;
- “Strengthening the Capacities to Manage the Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region: GIS Database Development Training for the Institute and Museum-Ohrid” (North Macedonia) for an amount of US$ 55,000 under the Conservation & Management-Nature budget, as authorized by paragraph 240 of the Operational Guidelines. Flexibility is granted within the budget lines dedicated to travel and meetings, in order to accommodate possible adjustments in the implementation of the activities made necessary by the sanitary context related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The profile of the national experts to be involved in the project will be be further clarified in a dialogue between World Heritage Centre and State Party at the time of implementation, as well as the work of the international experts, which could be distributed throughout the project;
- Decides that the Emergency Assistance budget for 2020-2021 can be increased by a maximum amount of US$ 124,000 from the operating reserve in order to reach a maximum of US$ 524,000, if the initial budget of US$ 400,000 is not sufficient;
- Recalling Decision 43 COM 13, paragraph 4, strongly appeals to all States Parties to make voluntary contributions for International Assistance by choosing among the options described in Resolution 19 GA 8;
- Encourages States Parties considering preparation of International Assistance requests to contact the World Heritage Centre for advice either on the topic and/or on the technicalities of their International Assistance requests well ahead the annual deadline of 31 October.