Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region

• Land conversion
• Local conditions affecting physical fabric (Deterioration as a result of exposure to difficult environmental conditions such as wind with sand and floods; desertification)
• Buildings and Development (Urban encroachment; Housing)
• Ground transport infrastructure
• Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
• Management systems / management plan (Absence of a management plan with official commitment)
• Armed conflict

Total amount provided: USD 38,398 by the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for the development of a sustainable tourism plan; 20,374 USD by the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for the implementation of the World Heritage Committee Decisions in relation to Boundaries and Strategic Conservation; USD 19,798 from the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund; 25,000 EUR from the French Government for mitigation measures at both cultural World Heritage properties in Sudan; USD 67,510 from the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund for Urgent Safeguarding Measures for Sudanese Cultural Heritage.

The State Party did not submit an updated report on the state of conservation report of the property, which was requested by the World Heritage Committee at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023).

Since 15 April 2023, Sudan has been facing an armed conflict impacting its cultural heritage. Some information about the property has been gathered during regular meetings organised by UNESCO with the State Party and its partners to monitor the situation of cultural heritage in the prevailing context, as follows:

• The National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) has almost halted all activities;
• All scientific missions, mainly funded by the Qatar Sudan Archaeological Project (QSAP), have been suspended, as well as those related to the project supported by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) and the UNESCO project funded through the Kingdom of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust to assist in the finalization of the 5-year action plan, defining the property’s boundaries, and addressing gaps identified in the Management Plan;
• The property is not directly impacted by the conflict; however, it is not well guarded and secured;
• Massive displacement of the population, who are escaping from war zones, is creating new pressures on the property (agricultural activities, vehicles within the property, high number of uncontrolled visits, etc.), which are being addressed through community engagement activities.

The ongoing instability in Sudan, which has impacted communities and all sectors of society, is of great concern, and has affected the management capabilities at the property. Several statements were issued by UNESCO, ICOMOS and ICCROM calling for the safeguarding of cultural heritage. It is recommended that the Committee call on all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from any action that could cause damage to the property.

The State Party did not provide an updated report on the state of conservation of the property. According to information provided by the State Party during online meetings, recent activities have focused on community engagement, with awareness raising activities targeting children and youth, and including guided visits of the site and museum. All of these activities are to be welcomed as they contribute to enhanced protection of the property.

In the current context, it is recommended that the State Party assess the impact of the conflict on the property, when the conditions allow. In the framework of the project “Urgent Safeguarding Measures for Sudanese Cultural Heritage” funded by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, capacity building on Crisis Response, Damage Risk Assessment and Mitigation, and First Aid for Sudan's Heritage has been provided (two workshops), in addition to supporting the monitoring of cultural heritage in Sudan. Assessing the impacts on this property has not been undertaken yet. A thorough assessment of the state of conservation and management at the property is needed in order to ensure its safeguarding, with both protective and emergency response measures implemented through targeted actions. This includes assessing damage to, or loss of, both moveable and immovable cultural properties, and submitting a report to the World Heritage Centre.

In its last Decision, the Committee continued to express serious concern about the overall state of conservation of the property, which is threatened by alarming levels of fabric degradation as a result of environmental factors, including heavy rainfall and potential flooding, absence of adequate controls, lack of appropriate maintenance, inadequate museum and storage facilities, lack of management planning, ineffective coordination of archaeological missions, absence of an integrated strategy for the conservation of newly-excavated archaeological features, urban encroachment, and development projects, all of which are impacting negatively on the attributes, which support the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property.

In the absence of updated information about the overall state of conservation of the property, and the reported new threats resulting from the ongoing conflict, considerable concerns continue to be raised regarding the protection of the property’s OUV. It is recommended to continue to closely monitor the situation and to request an updated state of conservation report by 1 February 2025 for examination at the 47th session of the Committee, considering that the urgent conservation needs of this property require a broad mobilization to preserve its OUV, including the possible inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger.