The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/2.Rev,
Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
Authorizes the participation in the extended 45th session, as observers, of the representatives of the international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), permanent observer missions to UNESCO and non profit-making institutions in the fields covered by the Convention, listed in Part I of the present ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/3A,
Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/3B,
Adopts the timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.
45 COM 4
Report of the Rapporteur of the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (Fuzhou/online, 2021)
The World Heritage Committee,
Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (Fuzhou/online, 2021).
45 COM 5A
Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC2345.COM5A,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 5A and 44 COM 5A adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhouonline, 2021) sessions respectively,
Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over the past year in pursuit of the Expected Result to ensure that “Tangible heritage identified, protected, monitored and sustainably managed by Member States, in particular through the effective implementation of the 1972 Convention”;
Takes note with concern of the impacts of the COVID-19 ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5B,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 5B, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Mindful of the efforts undertaken by the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN) to respond to the exceptional situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the efforts of ICOMOS to improve the geographical balance of its evaluation panels;
Reiterating the importance of transparency and publishing principles and criteria for selection of experts to missions, evaluations and panels, as well as strengthening ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5C,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 5C adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), in which the World Heritage Centre was requested to present a progress report on Priority Africa in line with the Medium-Term Strategy 2022-2029 and Programme and Budget for 2022-2025,
Also recalling Decisions 44 COM 10A, and 44 COM 10B adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Notes with appreciation the continued efforts of the UNESCO Member States and the adoption of the Operational Strategy for ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/5D,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 5D adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), as well as Resolution 20 GA 13 adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
Also recalling Decision 35 COM 12E that the World Heritage Committee specifically encourages the effective and equitable involvement and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of World Heritage properties and the respect of indigenous peoples’ rights in ...
45 COM 6
Follow-up to the World Heritage capacity-building strategy and Progress Report on the World Heritage-related category 2 centres
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/6,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 6 and 44 COM 6, adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Commends the progress made by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, the States Parties, the category 2 centres under the auspices of UNESCO related to World Heritage, as well as the UNESCO Chairs with the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS), and notably the efforts to maintain and adapt capacity-building activities during ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Climate Action for World Heritage
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7 and 44 COM 7C adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Notes that the Panel of experts in relation to Decision 44 COM 7C concerning climate change and World Heritage met by end of March 2022 and made recommendations on the amendments proposed by the Members of the World Heritage Committee and provided a report to the Open-ended Working Group of States Parties to the World Heritage ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7, 43 COM 7.2, and 44 COM 7.2 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Also recalling that all proposed major interventions in and around World Heritage properties should be subject to rigorous impact assessments, as outlined in Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.55 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the strengthening of indigenous territorial governance, and biodiversity conservation measures to restore the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and notes with satisfaction the ongoing inter-institutional efforts to address illegal activity in the property, including poaching and illegal settlement;
Expresses concern that the expected completion of the land titling process in the cultural zone ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.56 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Reiterates its utmost concern about the critical status of the vaquita, specifically recognized as part of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and endemic to the Gulf of California, and that illegal fishing of totoaba has continued in the Upper Gulf of California resulting in a threat of imminent extinction of the vaquita species;
Takes note of the confirmation that the small and sole remaining population is ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.5 and 44 COM 7A.39 adopted respectively at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Recalling in particular its decision in 2019 to grant four years to the State Party to demonstrate whether it is possible to restore the integrity of the property and to collect additional data on the state of fauna to allow an assessment of whether regeneration of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is still achievable,
Welcomes the significant progress ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.2,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.6 and 44 COM 7A.40 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions,
Commends the States Parties for their ongoing efforts under difficult circumstances to implement the corrective measures including joint transboundary surveillance patrols, funding to support management operations, anti-poaching activities, restoration of degraded areas, support for local communities, and development of a high-resolution map of the property, and requests the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 44COM 7A.41 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the significant progress made by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and the partner African Parks in close collaboration with the provincial political-administrative and military authorities and the local communities in the implementation of the corrective measures of the 2016 joint Reactive Monitoring mission and previous decisions of the World Heritage Committee, and encourages ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.48, 43 COM 7A.8, 44 COM 7A.43 and 44 COM 7A.46 adopted at its 42nd (Bahrain, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Deplores the continued violence and further loss of life of protected area staff killed in the line of duty, and offers its most sincere condolences to their families and to all the staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN);
Welcomes the continued improvement in the security situation and ...
Sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.9 and 44 COM 7A.43 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the efforts undertaken by the State Party to further strengthen the surveillance of the property but reiterates once more its concern regarding the persistent insecurity in the region, which limits surveillance coverage and effective management of the property, also reiterates its request to the State Party to implement all the corrective measures in ...
Sites: Okapi Wildlife Reserve
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.2,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.45 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Deplores the continued armed conflict and resulting further loss of life of protected area staff killed in the line of duty and of local communities, and offers its most sincere condolences to their families and to all the staff of the “Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)”;
Welcomes the progress achieved by the State Party and partners in implementing some of the corrective measures ...
Sites: Virunga National Park
45 COM 7A.9
General Decision on the World Heritage properties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.46 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the implementation of this Decision, as requested by the Committee at its 44th extended session,
Notes with utmost concern the reports of alleged human rights abuses towards indigenous peoples and local communities during law enforcement operations and reiterates its requests to the State Party to take urgent measures to further strengthen efforts to address ...