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Kasbah of Algiers

Algeria
Factors affecting the property in 2007*
  • Changes in traditional ways of life and knowledge system
  • Erosion and siltation/ deposition
  • Land conversion
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:

    Poor upkeep of the dwelling places

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Natural erosion;

b) Poor upkeep of the dwelling places;

c) Loss of traditional conservation techniques;

d) Uncontrolled land use;

e) Existing but non-operational safeguarding plan;

f) Lack of coordination of activities

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2007
Requests approved: 5 (from 1993-2002)
Total amount approved : 92,600 USD
Missions to the property until 2007**

September 2001: World Heritage Centre reactive monitoring mission; October 2003, February-March and November 2004: three expert missions in the framework of the implementation of activities for training assistance to set up a workshop-school specializing in traditional building skills at the Kasbah of Algiers.

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2007

As requested by the Committee in paragraph 6 of its decision 29 COM 7B.44, the State Party transmitted, on 31 January 2007, a report on safeguarding and enhancement actions for the Kasbah of Algiers. This report reviews the actions undertaken in 2003 and 2006 as follows:

a) The restoration project for the Citadel of Algiers, sponsored by the President of the Algerian Republic, received significant funding which enabled the Ministry of Culture to proceed to a limited international consultation.

b) A specific architectural Office, chaired by the Director of Cultural Heritage, was set up, notably to draw up the specifications required to launch the restoration operation for the Citadel of Algiers.

c) Priority actions were defined with a view to the implementation of the first phase of the Permanent Plan for the Safeguarding and Enhancement of the Protected Areas (PPSMV), including emergency and diagnostic measures. A recapitulation of all these interventions was prepared in March 2006 by the local authorities concerning:

(i) The condition of the built structures following the 2003 earthquake, and operations for the evaluation and rehousing of the populations in order to undertake the emergency work;

(ii) Progress achieved on the restoration projects for the listed historic monuments;

(iii) Interventions on the various road works, outdoors development features and sanitation.

This phase will be updated and submitted by the architectural Office on 14 June 2007 to the contracting authority.

Phases 2 (historical and typological analysis) and 3 (final draft of the plan: presentation report, regulations, annexes and typological manual) of the project are well under way. The time needed for updating and standardising the plan is evaluated at 15 months, as from 15 November 2007.

In the framework of an International Assistance request under the World Heritage Fund, a Documentation and information centre was to be set up in an old building of the Kasbah. The report of the State Party makes no mention of this centre or possible activities that could be undertaken there.

However, this report is too brief to provide an accurate picture of the state of conservation of the property and to enable a precise evaluation of the current situation. 

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2007
31 COM 7B.59
Kasbah of Algiers (Algeria)

The World Heritage Committee,

1.       Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2.       Recalling Decision 29 COM 7B.44, adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3.       Notes the information provided by the State Party on the actions undertaken for the implementation of the first phase of the Permanent safeguarding plan;

4.       Urges the State Party, in accordance with paragraph 5 of Decision 29 COM 7B.44, to pursue the measures for the rehabilitation of the Kasbah of Algiers;

5.       Requests the State Party to transmit to the World Heritage Centre a topographic or cadastral  map clearly indicating the boundaries and the surface of the property inscribed, as well as a buffer zone;

6.      Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a thorough report on the state of conservation of the property and on the implementation of the safeguarding plan and rehabilitation actions, as well as on the Documentation Centre financed by the World Heritage Fund, for examination by the Committee at its 33nd session, in 2009.

Draft Decision: 31 COM 7B.59

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined DocumentWHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 29 COM 7B.44, adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Notes the information provided by the State Party on the actions undertaken for the implementation of the first phase of the Permanent safeguarding plan;

4. Urges the State Party, in accordance with paragraph 5 of Decision 29 COM 7B.44, to pursue the measures for the rehabilitation of the Kasbah of Algiers;

5. Requests the State Party to transmit to the World Heritage Centre a topographic or cadastral map clearly indicating the boundaries and the surface of the property inscribed, as well as a buffer zone;

6. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1er February 2009, a thorough report on the state of conservation of the property and on the implementation of the safeguarding plan and rehabilitation actions, as well as on the Documentation Centre financed by the World Heritage Fund, for examination by the Committee at its 33nd session, in 2009. 

Report year: 2007
Algeria
Date of Inscription: 1992
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(v)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 31COM (2007)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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