Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

• Society’s valuing of heritage: Partial abandonment of the property
• Erosion and siltation/deposition: Gully erosion leading to rock falls
• Flooding: Floods at the end of 2014
• Management systems/ management plan: Lack of an updated Management Plan
• Deliberate destruction of heritage: Increased offences in old Ksar and degradation (issue resolved)
• Governance: Delays in the establishment of a technical and administrative structure responsible for the property (issue resolved)
• Impacts of tourism/visitor/recreation: Uncontrolled tourism and visitor pressure (issue resolved)
• Ground transport infrastructure: Possible impact due to the opening of the bridge connecting the two banks of the Wadi el-Maleh on the property (issue resolved)

On 6 November 2023, the World Heritage Centre informed the State Party that a report on the state of conservation should be submitted to the 46th session of the Committee in order to better understand and assess the state of conservation of the property following the earthquake that occurred in the Al Haouz region on 8 September 2023. On 21 February 2024, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report. A summary of the report is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/444/documents, which presents the state of conservation of the property following the earthquake and communicates the measures taken by the State Party:

• In addition to the tragic human toll, the earthquake caused extensive material damage throughout the province;
• The State Party immediately dispatched a mission from the Centre for the Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Architectural Heritage of Atlas and Sub-atlas Zones (Centre de Conservation et de Réhabilitation du Patrimoine Architectural des Zones Atlastiques et Subatlastiques – CERKAS) to the property, located 110km from the epicentre of the earthquake, in order to map the state of conservation of the buildings comprising the property, identify the buildings affected, draw up a descriptive report of the damage, assess consolidation and restoration work, and define measures to ensure the safety of the property and the people;
• The diagnostic indicates that the buildings restored using traditional techniques generally withstood the tremors well, but that the earthquake caused the collapse of the granary (le grenier des Potiers), which is the only evidence of a collective granary that no longer exists, and of three of the five towers of its surrounding wall. The earthquake mainly affected seven buildings (to varying degrees), including the Ait Ougram kasbah and the N'Oumghar kasbah. Some buildings that were already in a state of ruin before the earthquake have deteriorated further. Rockfalls have also occurred in the south-western part of the property;
• The programme to restore houses in the Ksar, which began in 2014 and was slowed down by the COVID‑19 pandemic, is due to resume shortly. It will include some of the new affected structures. The existing ruins will be consolidated and their structures reinforced;
• The permanent residential use of the Ksar is declining, whereas the development of commerce and guest houses for visitors is increasing.

In April 2024, the Director of World Heritage travelled to Morocco at the invitation of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication to visit the sites damaged by the earthquake of September 2023, and in particular to hold working sessions with the various site managers. It was agreed that UNESCO could accompany the national authorities in their efforts to provide the necessary expertise in the atlas and sub-atlas zones through CERKAS, whose institutional strengthening would also be necessary.

The technical assessment of the damage caused by the earthquake of 8 September 2023, carried out by CERKAS, shows that the property was only slightly impacted by this earthquake compared to other sites. Risk prevention and stabilization measures have been defined and are being implemented, and a technical diagnostic of the impact of the earthquake on the structures of the Ksar has been carried out. The report submitted by the State Party also reveals that the buildings previously identified as ruins have further deteriorated.

The post-earthquake interventions, of which the funding and schedule have not been specified, include the consolidation of existing ruins and the restoration of recently damaged structures. They will complement the work already planned for the restoration of inhabited buildings.

Documentation on the most destroyed structures is available. The granary and its surrounding wall have already been restored by CERKAS in 2008. Its restoration is planned, along with a programme of archaeological excavations that could not be carried out at the time, in order to possibly reveal the remains of the lost granaries.

In 2021, the State Party indicated an increase in the number of resident inhabitants within the property, which today appears to have decreased, whereas commerce and guest houses for visitors are increasing. As the situation is worrying, the State Party should be encouraged to relaunch the revitalisation and awareness-raising activities outlined in the 2020-2030 management plan as soon as possible.

In 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, in which it responded to the Committee's requests expressed in Decision 44 COM 7B.133, notably concerning the additions necessary for improving the operational aspect of the management plan submitted in 2021. Thus, the detailed action plan defining the objectives, resources and timetable for implementation has been sent to the World Heritage Centre, and the management system and decision-making process between stakeholders, as well as the strategic guidelines for the conservation and management of the property, have been specified. In the conclusion of its report, the State Party clarifies the new areas of intervention required, and in particular the need to establish a management structure with adequate human and financial resources, to draw up a risk management and visitor management plan, and a development plan for the property.

In April 2024, the Director of World Heritage travelled to Morocco at the invitation of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication to visit a number of sites damaged by the earthquake. It was agreed that UNESCO could accompany the national authorities by providing the necessary expertise in the atlas and sub-atlas zones, through CERKAS and its institutional strengthening.