Decision 44 COM 7A.1

Old Towns of Djenné (Mali) (C 116rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.53, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Expresses its satisfaction with regard to the important measures undertaken by the State Party to raise awareness in the local community, and more particularly the owners of the houses, on the conservation and management aspects of the site, notably the role of the different actors, including UNESCO, and requests the State Party to:
   1. Pursue this awareness-raising work, notably to strengthen and promote maintenance of the banco houses by the owner families,
   2. Accelerate the preparation of a maintenance manual for the houses and to submit the draft publication to the World Heritage Centre for revision by the Advisory Bodies,
   3. Provide all assistance to the finalisation of the detailed inventory of the old town as a basis for the monitoring and identification of the urgent actions;
4. Congratulates the State Party, more especially the Cultural Mission, for the mobilisation of the unemployed youth by associating them with the activities of the built heritage inventory and awareness-raising;
5. Notes with appreciation the financial contributions from the Spanish Agency for Cooperation and the European Union to pursue the conservation actions for the Djenné Grand Mosque and the inventory, and to carry out rehabilitation work at the Moroccan Palace and monumental houses;
6. Expresses its concern regarding the maintenance practices of the banco houses using cement, modifications and coverings in earthen brick, as well as the construction of solid  buildings likely to negatively impact the integrity and authenticity of the property, and also encourages the State Party to strengthen the enforcement of the heritage standards through communication channels, and accelerate the preparation of a maintenance manual for the houses and to submit the draft publication to the World Heritage Centre for revision by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Expresses its concern with regard to the illegal excavations at the four archaeological sites, in part due to the insufficient means of surveillance and continuing insecurity, and also requests that additional and strengthened measures be taken for the long-term security of the site;
8. Notes with appreciation the initiation of a remote support programme for the preparation of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, 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;
10. Decides to retain Old Towns of Djenné (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.