Decision 45 COM 8B.66

Minor boundary modifications - Rock Art in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the examination of the minor modification to the boundary of Rock Art in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
   1. Consider extending the buffer zone by 1.0 to 1.5 km towards the south, in accordance with Decisions 39 COM 8B.11, 41 COM 7B.85, 43 COM 7B.53 and 44 COM 7B.137,
   2. Include in the buffer zone, based on visual perspectives, a viewshed entering from the main road (Al-Muhaffar) leading to Jubbah, so as to protect the essential co-visibility from and towards the property along the panoramic road;
3. Recommends the State Party to give consideration to the following:
   1. Providing explanations about the substantial differences in area of the Jabal Umm Sinman component part, even though the boundaries are not affected,
   2. Putting in place, as a matter of urgency, effective inter-sectorial consultation mechanisms to ensure that no development project takes place within the property boundaries or the nearby areas, and that the projects under way, such as the abattoir, are halted until a heritage impact study has been conducted,
   3. Establishing viewshed studies so as to determine the zones that are visually sensitive, to protect them and to regulate construction in these zones, in order to protect the character of the landscape and preserve the visual integrity of the property,
   4. Developing, in accordance with Decision 39 COM 8B.11 (point 4.f), monitoring indicators to measure the impact of development on the attributes of the site.