Decision 44 COM 7B.17

Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (Sudan) (C 1073)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.54, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the State Party for its efforts to implement some Committee decisions and the recommendations of the 2019 mission, despite significant challenges;
4. Continues to express serious concern at the overall state of conservation of the property, which is seriously threatened by alarming levels of fabric degradation as a result of environmental factors, including heavy rainfall and potential flooding, absence of adequate controls, lack of appropriate maintenance, inadequate museum and storage facilities, lack of management planning, ineffective coordination of archaeological missions, absence of an integrated strategy for the conservation of newly-excavated archaeological features, urban encroachment and development projects, all of which are impacting negatively on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
5. Requests the State Party to ensure that no new archaeological excavations occur until conservation of the existing archaeological structures is ensured;
6. Notes that urgent measures are required at the property to reverse the alarming level of deterioration and also requests the State Party to implement all of the recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and the 2020 UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund mission as a matter of urgency;
7. Reminds the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information of any future works that may affect the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Urges the State Party to prepare a 5-year comprehensive action plan, as recommended by the monitoring mission to address the management structure, legal instruments, inventories, documentation, conservation, restoration, development, community involvement and tourism management;
9. Takes note of the State Party’s proposal for a revision of the 2007 Management Plan as appropriate and encourages its eventual elaboration by the State Party;
10. Also urges the State Party to continue its efforts with regards to defining the boundaries of the property, as a matter of urgency, and also reminds the State Party to submit a Minor Boundary Modification, with property delimitations of the buffer zone in line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
11. Welcomes the proposed development of a sustainable tourism strategy with funding support from the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust;
12. Calls on the international community to support the State Party’s urgent protection and management work through financial and technical assistance;
13. Finally 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, with a view to considering, in the case of continued ascertained danger to the OUV, in line with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.