Decision 39 COM 17

Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 40TH session of the World Heritage Committee (2016)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Recalling its Decision 38 COM 15, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014), which elected its Bureau whose mandate will be until the end of its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
2. Also recalling its Decision 39 COM 18 according to which its 40th session will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from 10 to 20 July 2016,
3. Recalls that the hosting of a World Heritage Committee session by a Committee member is subject to the host country signing a host country agreement in conformity with UNESCO’s rules and regulations and that host country agreements for category II meetings must be signed eight months in advance of the meeting;
4. Also recalls that, pursuant to Rule 44.3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, arrangements by the host country to provide interpretation in another language than the working languages of the Committee (English and French), or another official working languages recognized by the United Nations, should be in compliance with UNESCO’s rules, regulations and procedures;
5. Decides to elect, in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, its Bureau with the following composition:
   1. H.E. Ambassador Gürcan TÜRKOḠLU (Turkey) as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 39th session of the Committee (Bonn, 2015) until the end of the 40th session of the Committee (2016),
   2. Lebanon,
      Peru,
      Philippines,
      Poland and
      Senegal (until the 20th session of the General Assembly)
      as Vice-Chairpersons of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandates will begin at the end of the 39th session of the Committee (Bonn, 2015) until the end of the 40th session of the Committee (2016),
   3. Mrs Eugene JO (Republic of Korea) as the Rapporteur of the World Heritage Committee whose mandates will begin at the end of the 39th session of the Committee (Bonn, 2015) until the end of the 40th session of the Committee (2016);
6. Also decides that the Bureau of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee (2017) will be elected at the end of the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee (2016) in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee;