Island of Mozambique
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
- Financial resources
- Housing
- Management systems/ management plan
- Solid waste
- Storms
- Other Threats:
Precarious state of conservation of the stone
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Need for a detailed programme for the recuperation of the island
- Storm in 1994
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Total amount approved : 55,000 USD
1995 | 2 high-level missions on the conservation and ... (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
1994 | Financial contribution to repairs for the roofs of Sao ... (Approved) | 35,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1995**
July 1995: UNESCO expert mission
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995
- Background
At the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee, a report on the state of conservation of Ihla de Mozambique was presented. The report was part of the Systematic Monitoring Exercise, undertaken in collaboration with the, then existent, UNDP/Unesco Regional Project for Cultural, Urban and Environmental Heritage, Lima (1991-1994). Subsequently, the Government of Mozambique requested a mission, whose task was to:
- make the necessary arrangements to prepare an "international call" for "funding" a global rehabilitation programme - on the basis of concrete projects in restoration "infrastructure, housing, economic activities (including tourism)".
- Draw up a list of urgent conservation works to be undertaken in the Island.
The World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the authorities, fielded a mission to Mozambique in July 1995. The main findings are summarized below.
2. Present situation
The economic base of the Island remains precarious - reflecting the overall situation in the country. The cyclone in 1993 has seriously affected the built-architecture and urban fabric of the Island. The Ihla always had two kinds of distinct habitations (North : stone/lime and the city of Straw-Macuti); they are in precarious conditions. Self-help projects in Macuti City and some parts of the Stone City are underway. The infrastructure of the Island in water/sanitation, drinking water, sewage system, adequate electricity - energy, transport and communication is below the poverty line. So is the situation of ill-housing, including some squatters in the Stone City, environmental problems on beaches (waste disposal and defecation on the beaches); garbage collection. The human element of the Island is enthusiastic - good - willing, with a desire to rehabilitate their Island and conserve their heritage.
Some bilateral projects OIKOS (EU) for boat construction, water - sanitation (Switzerland - Canada - France) are in their initial stages with relatively good results.
3. Funding
All funding for the Island at present is international. No substantial matching fund in cash or even in kind are available. The mission met with the donor community. Generally there is a "Donor Fatigue" and set of priorities. However, with the Prime Minister's statement of political will following the mission's visit, there is good hope for joint ventures with the Mozambique authorities for a future Sustainable - Urban Integral Cultural Heritage Project with different components.
As to Monitoring, with the exception of the systematic exercise carried out in 1994, there is no monitoring in place and there cannot be - until such time that a management/project execution office is put in place in the Island in situ.
4. Outcome of the mission
The consultants have provided the outline of a programme which includes:
1) Physical restoration and maintenance programme of the Cultural Heritage;
2) Economic sustainability;
3) Rehabilitation of the human settlement;
4) Infrastructure, habitat, environment;
5) Education/training of local artisans.
This "Comprehensive - Integral - Sustainable Conservation and Rehabilitation" Agenda has to be set up for the Island (19952000), and funded by external donors. The mission already identified a series of projects within the Integral Conservation Programme. These include :
a) The urban pattern gardens, squares and street furniture, sea-front and beaches.
b) Monuments and Public Buildings (Restoration and readaptive use)
- Adaptation of the Fortress - readaptive use
- The palazzo - now a museum
- The Custom's house - Al Fandinga
- The warehouses
- Church of Misericordia
- The School of Arts and Crafts
- The mosque and market place
- The hospital
- Upgrading residential monumental buildings.
c) Infrastructure (water, sewage, electricity, environment, transport, etc).
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995
The Bureau may wish to recommend the Committee to adopt the following:
"The Committee requested the World Heritage Centre to follow up with the Government of Mozambique on the results of the mission, and ensure that detailed architectural drawings are prepared in order to submit these to donor countries for small-scale restoration projects (funds are available for this action). The Committee also encouraged the Government of Mozambique to submit a technical cooperation request in order to prepare detailed projects with cost estimates for the restoration of each monument and the basic infrastructure of the Island."
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 COM VII.C.2.42/46
SOC: Ihle de Mozambique (Mozambique)
VII.42 Ihle de Mozambique (Mozambique)
The Committee was informed that the World Heritage Centre undertook a mission last July in order to:
- define the necessary measures to prepare an integrated rehabilitation programme for the Ihle;
- establish the list of urgent conservation work.
The report of this mission was discussed last November in Paris, with the Minister of Culture who asked the Director- General of UNESCO for a Funds-in-Trust to be administered in Maputo by a steering Committee. The UNESCO Representative in Mozambique would be a member of this Committee. The Mozambique authorities and UNESCO plans to allocate resources which will be used to implement the integrated rehabilitation programme defined in the report.
The Committee noted the creation of a Fund-in-Trust to finance conservation projects in the framework of the rehabilitation programme of the Ihla as prepared by UNESCO. The Committee requested the World Heritage Centre to prepare in collaboration with the authorities of Mozambique conservation projects with cost estimates in order to submit them to potential donors.
The Secretariat recommends the Committee to examine the information contained in the working document and the oral report provided by the Secretariat. The Secretariat recommends the Committee to adopt the following:
"The Committee requested the World Heritage Centre to follow up with the Government of Mozambique on the results of the mission, and ensure that detailed architectural drawings are prepared in order to submit these to donor countries for small-scale restoration projects (funds are available for this action). The Committee also encouraged the Government of Mozambique to submit a technical cooperation request in order to prepare detailed projects with cost estimates for the restoration of each monument and the basic infrastructure of the Island."
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.