Decision 40 COM 7A.6

Timbuktu (Mali) (C 119rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/16/40.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 39 COM 7A.21, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
3. Regrets that the State Party was unable to submit a state of conservation report of the property, as requested by the Committee;
4. Congratulates the State Party for the significant work undertaken in the reconstruction of the 14 Saint mausoleums destroyed during the occupation period of Timbuktu in 2012 and thanks the partners who provided support in the framework of the Mali Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage project and requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the reconstruction strategy that guided this work and the architectural and archaeological studies carried out, so that the principles underpinning this reconstruction work are clearly documented and the role of the Corporation of Masons fully appreciated;
5. Expresses its concern regarding the fragility of the security situation at Timbuktu preventing the State Party from inviting the requested joint UNESCO/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to evaluate the general state of conservation of the property;
6. Notes with satisfaction the organization in Bamako of an evaluation meeting on the state of conservation of the property based on all the technical missions, studies and activity reports carried out, as well as observations and comments of the site managers and representatives of local communities, enabling the preparation of corrective measures and the preparation of a Desired State of Conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
7. Adopts the following corrective measures to ensure the conditions of integrity and authenticity of the property:
   1. For the conservation of the physical components of the property:
      1. Carry out the restoration/rehabilitation work for the two mosques of Sankoré and Sidi Yahia to strengthen their stability and safeguarding, and establish a participatory management mechanism closely involving the Imams,
      2. Establish and implement control measures concerning the silting up of the physical components of the property,
      3. Rehabilitate fencing around the cemeteries where the World Heritage mausoleums are located in order to strengthen security,
   2. For the protection and management of the property:
      1. Revise and implement the management and conservation plan for the property and the buffer zones, taking into account risk management, threats concerning the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and a plan for preventive and remedial conservation activities for the components of the property,
      2. Identify short- middle- and long-term funding sources to guarantee the implementation of the management plan,
      3. Prepare a geo-referenced map indicating the boundaries of the buffer zones for each of the components,
      4. Update and implement urban regulations in the periphery of the inscribed property, the ancient fabric and buffer zones and evaluate their efficiency,
      5. Prepare a maintenance manual and conservation plan for the reconstructed mausoleums,
      6. Re-energize the Management Committee for all components of the property involving the municipal authorities concerned,
      7. Strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of the actors and professionals involved in the management and conservation of the property,
      8. Strengthen the operational capacities of the management structure of the property: allocation of necessary budget for urgent conservation activities,
      9. Improve the security situation at the mosques and mausoleums and more generally throughout the entire town;
8. Calls upon the international community to support the State Party, in co-operation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in any way possible for priority conservation and management measures, and capacity building programmes;
9. Requests the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to evaluate the general state of conservation of the property and progress achieved in the implementation of the corrective measures, once the situation in northern Mali is stabilized;
10. Also requests the State Party to finalize, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM, the DSOCR proposal and a precise timetable for implementation, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2017, as far as is possible, for adoption by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
11. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2017, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above-mentioned points, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017;
12. Decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the property;
13. Also decides to retain Timbuktu (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.