Having examined Documents WHC-04/7EXT.COM/5A, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5C, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5D, and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5E,
Aware of the need to:
study and reflect on the first cycle of Periodic Reporting;
develop strategic direction on the forms and the format of the Periodic Reports, training priorities and international cooperation priorities; and
to streamline the Committee's consideration of matters raised through Periodic Reporting relating to inscribed properties;
Decides to suspend for one year the commencement of the next cycle of Periodic ...
7 EXT.COM 5A.1
Progress report on the preparation of the Periodic Report for Europe and North America
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5A,
Recalling its Decision 25 COM VII.25-27 at its 25th session (Helsinki, 2001) to examine at its 29th session (Durban, 2005), the Periodic Report for North America,
Notes the report on the progress of such Periodic Report.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B,
Recalling its Decisions 24 COM VII.1-4 and 27 COM 20B.I, adopted at its 24th session (Cairns, 2000) and its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003), respectively,
Takes note of the progress made in the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Arab States and in responding to the priority needs identified in the Periodic Report for the Arab States;
Thanks the Dutch Government for supporting the publication of such Periodic Report;
Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to ...
8 COM XIII.37-38
Protection and Management of Properties Included on the World Heritage List: General Issues
37. The Secretariat informed the Committee of two activities being carried out since the sixth session concerning the management of cultural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. One concerned the preparation of a "Handbook on Managing World Heritage" which deals with the preservation of these properties, ranging from general principles and legal considerations to practical means for carrying out a management programme. The outline was elaborated by an international group of experts during a meeting organised by ICCROM and ICOMOS in 1983 at the suggestion of the ...
39. The Committee took note of document SC-84/CONF.004/7 in which the Australian authorities, at the request of the Bureau at its eighth session, submitted a brief commentary on the judgment of the High Court of Australia regarding Western Tasmanian National Parks. The Committee agreed that the Tasmanian case gave an example of the strength of the Convention, particularly for States Parties having a similar system of Federal Government. The Committee requested the Secretariat to distribute this document to all the other States Parties to the Convention.
Sites: Tasmanian Wilderness
40. The Representative of IUCN recalled that the Committee at its seventh session had encouraged the advisory non-governmental organisations to collect information through their contacts and to inform the Committee on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties. IUCN reported to the Committee on four natural properties as follows:
a) Simen National Park (Ethiopia)
IUCN reported that the National Park personnel had apparently abandoned this park and that the area has been in the hands of armed groups. Although the group had informally assured IUCN that no ...
9 COM XIII.38-39
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Properties: General Issues
38. The Committee thanked IUCN for these comprehensive reports and for regularly providing information on the status of natural properties. It furthermore welcomed the proposal of ICOMOS to submit similar reports, as far as its means would allow, in the near future.
39. Finally, the Committee welcomed document SC-85/CONF.008/INF.2 reporting on the measures taken by Yugoslavia to implement the World Heritage Convention and encouraged other States Parties to prepare such national reports for submission to the Committee.
Djoudj National Park, Senegal: The immediate situation of this Park, which is threatened by a large hydro-agricultural project, has been alleviated by the construction of a temporary canal. The longer term solutions were investigated by IUCN, Unesco, the Senegalese and Mauritanian authorities at a special workshop held in Senegal in July 1985. The main conclusions of this meeting included the agreement to establish the contiguous area to Djoudj in Mauritania known as Diawling as a national park and to eventually nominate this site with Djoudj as a transfrontier World Heritage property. ...
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania: The Tanzanian authorities had organised a commission of enquiry into the management of this property but as yet the conclusion had not yet been made known. However, with the financial support of NORAD (Norway), a major technical workshop was being held in December 1985 to study improving the management of this property. IUCN considered that this progress was positive and indicated that Ngorongoro could perhaps be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger by 1987.
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Garamba National Park, Zaire: The representative of Zaire, the President Delegate General of the Zaire Institute for the Conservation of Nature (IZCN), presented the Committee with an up-to-date report on the progress of work undertaken by IZCN and the consortium formed by Unesco-World Heritage, IUCN/WWF and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The main objective of the project is to safeguard the population of endangered northern white rhinoceros in the park. The project was progressing well and the equipment provided with support of the World Heritage Fund had helped to strengthen the ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
Tai National Park, Ivory Coast: IUCN reported that the situation had not improved since its reports of 1982 and 1984. The Secretariat had written to the Ivory Coast authorities indicating the possibility of nomination to the List of World Heritage in Danger but to date no response had been received. The Committee requested the Secretariat to continue its contacts and inform the Bureau of progress in this respect.
Sites: Taï National Park
Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia: The critical situation of this park, as reported to the Bureau at its 9th session had not altered and IUCN noted that if compensatory measures to re-establish the water regime of this Park were not taken very soon, the property would lose its international importance for migratory wildfowl. IUCN therefore strongly recommended the inclusion of this Park in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Tunisian authorities had not responded to the Secretariat's request for further information, however, the representative of Tunisia informed the Committee that he ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
Los Glaciares, Argentina: Part of this Park was being considered for reappropriation for a settlement scheme by the Province of Santa Cruz and the second phase of this project could result in the excision of a further 20,000 ha which included an important habitat for the humeal deer. The Argentine representative confirmed this report and indicated that this problem was in fact of concern to the central government authorities, who wished to take this matter up with the Provincial Government. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the Argentine authorities to obtain more ...
Sites: Los Glaciares National Park
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia: In reply to the Bureau's request for further information on the impacts of the construction of a road on the fringing reef adjacent to Cape Tribulation National Park, the Australian authorities had provided a comprehensive report which outlined a 3 year scientific research programme costing approximately 1 million $ to determine any short or possible long-term damage these reefs. The Committee expressed its satisfaction with this programme although it noted the comment by the IUCN representative that 3 years would be necessary before any ...
Sites: Great Barrier Reef
Pirin National Park, Bulgaria: The construction of a hotel and a ski-resort at the head of the Vihren Valley within this Park was being undertaken, against strong opposition by local conservation groups. The representative of IUCN requested whether an environmental impact assessment had been made for these developments. The representative of Bulgaria confirmed these developments and informed the Committee that she would request the Pirin National Park authorities to provide a full report which she would transmit to the Bureau at its next ...
Sites: Pirin National Park