Decision 47 COM 7B.157

Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site (Kenya)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 8B.14 and 45 COM 7B.127 adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018) and extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023) respectively,
3. Regrets that the State Party has not submitted in a timely manner a report on the state of conservation of the property, as requested by the Committee;
4. Notes with appreciation the urgent actions undertaken through Emergency International Assistance to reconstruct the fallen sections of the walls of the site and to stabilise their weak parts;
5. Welcomes the approach used for these emergency actions to fully engage local communities, especially the youth, in the reconstruction process through consultative meetings and the involvement of elders in transferring the traditional skills and know-how on traditional construction techniques to the youth living around the property, and encourages the State Party to further develop this approach;
6. Recognizes that wall repairs maintain the archaeological integrity and environmental sustainability of the Thimlich Ohinga property, as during repairs collapsed stones in their natural, unshaped form are re-selected and arranged through centuries-old indigenous knowledge systems that emphasized stability through careful placement rather than modification, and that the only material that is challenging to obtain, but not extinct, is the thatching grass used for the Luo homestead that is part of the interpretation centre but which does not contribute to the property’s OUV;
7. Also encourages the State Party to continue to pursue the extension to the property boundary at its south-eastern end near the entrance to Koketch, and the extension and demarcation of the buffer zone, and submit a boundary modification request in accordance with paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Recalls its invitation to the State Party to further develop the selection of indicators and reporting methodology utilised in the monitoring system for the property, making use if required, of technical assistance provided by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
9. Calls for increased mobilization of the international community to provide financial and technical support to the State Party, including through International Assistance, to further continue with the reconstruction and stabilisation work with the involvement of local communities and stakeholders to conserve the site and improve the social, economic development of the local residents in job creation and skills development;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2027, 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 50th session.