Decision 44 COM 9A

Upstream Process

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/9A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 9A, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), and its previous decisions concerning the Upstream Process,
3. Welcomes the advice, consultation and analysis undertaken to improve processes and practices prior to the development of nominations for consideration by the World Heritage Committee and reiterates that, in order to be most effective, upstream support should take place at an early stage, preferably at the moment of preparation or revision of States Parties’ Tentative Lists;
4. Commends ICOMOS, which, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and ICCROM, prepared a guidance document for States Parties on the development and revision of Tentative Lists to address related Upstream Process requests, as an initial response to the increased need to provide basic guidance on this matter and notes that the use of this guidance could contribute to improve quality of Tentative Lists and the consistency of related Upstream Process requests;
5. Recognizes the efforts undertaken by the States Parties involved, the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre and decides to phase out the Pilot Projects of the Ancient Kano City Walls and Associated Sites (Nigeria), the Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes (Philippines) and the Grenadines Islands Group (Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines);
6. Takes note of the progress made regarding the Pilot Projects and the 2018 and 2019 Upstream Process requests;
7. Also welcomes the submission of the Upstream Process requests received by the 17 April 2020, 31 October 2020 and 31 March 2021 deadlines, and the efforts by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies to process all requests received in the best timely manner possible and within the resources available;
8. Also recognizesthat maintaining the second yearly deadline for submission of requests for Upstream Process, 31 October, is not needed as the yearly limit of requests that can be dealt with is largely exceeded by the first deadline, and therefore, in order to ensure a more streamlined follow-up to incoming requests, also decides to only retain the 31 March annual deadline from now on;
9. Further decides to limit to one the number of requests per State Party that can be addressed in each cycle and to confirm the limit of ten as the total of new Upstream Process requests that can be processed in each cycle;
10. Bearing in mind that the Upstream Process is an activity which is not sufficiently budgeted, invites States Parties to consider financially contributing to the implementation of requests received from Least Developed Countries, Low-Income and Lower-Middle Income Countries and Small Island Developing States;
11. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to present a progress report on the remaining Pilot Project as well as on the support offered to Upstream Process requests received, for consideration at its 45th session.