Asmara: A Modernist African City
Factors affecting the property in 2021*
- Financial resources
- Human resources
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Unfinalized Urban Conservation Master Plan and Asmara Planning Norms and Technical Regulations
- Lack of strategies to ensure a steady influx of financial resources, substantial qualified human resources, and considerable institutional and technical capacity
- Need to set up the central management body
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2021
Total amount provided: USD 44,038 under the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2021
Total amount approved : 89,950 USD
2021 | Development of a Local Development Plan for Asmara: A ... (Approved) | 29,950 USD |
2018 | Improved conservation and management of Asmara: a ... (Not approved) | 0 USD |
2016 | Workshop awareness-raising campaign on World Heritage ... (Not approved) | 0 USD |
2016 | Technical capacity development (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
2016 | Conservation master plan of the Historic City of Asmara (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2021**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2021
On 15 January 2021, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1550/documents/ and provides the following information:
- The State Party indicates that it was not possible to finalize the Urban Conservation Master Plan (UCMP) and the Asmara Planning and Technical Regulation (APTR) by the date foreseen in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other unforeseen circumstances. Work is ongoing, however, and the Asmara Heritage Project (AHP) and its consultants will finish the UCMP for submission to the World Heritage Centre by November 2021;
- The Eritrean Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation is being implemented with the hiring of a Managing Director and the establishment of the Eritrean Cultural and Natural Heritage Board. Nevertheless, there have not yet been any specific protective designations for the property. The State Party understands the concerns of the Committee expressed in its previous decision (43 COM 7B.104) and intends to facilitate the urgent declaration of Asmara as a Protected Site;
- The AHP has initiated the development of a Local Economic Development Plan (LEDP), which will update a baseline study dating to 2015 to align it with the provisions of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL). The LEDP will be developed in 2021 and will include financial development strategies and the establishment of a conservation fund;
- Capacity building workshops have been implemented, and a project has been developed with the Politecnico di Milano for further capacity building. Other activities at the property have included the celebration of African World Heritage Day and the participation in the Modern Heritage of Africa initiative. Discussions have also commenced with UNESCO, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the European Union and the Getty Foundation to seek international financial and technical assistance.
The State Party further reports that, as a result of the current conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, several rockets were launched at Asmara. It reports than none landed in the World Heritage property and no damage to the OUV resulted.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2021
The World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies recognize the complexity of the work to develop the UCMP and APTR, and especially since the 2020 complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Party underscores the importance of continuing the work on both documents, which is appreciated. It will be important for the State Party to work with their consultants to finalize these documents and to submit them to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible. Furthermore, it is considered that the designation of the property as a Protected Site within the framework of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation of 2015 is also of fundamental importance to providing the framework for the implementation of the plan and for the safeguarding of the property.
Some additional clarification is needed in regard to the various stakeholders involved in management and conservation of the property, including the newly created Eritrean Cultural and Natural Heritage Board, the Department of Public Works Development (DPWD), the Asmara Heritage Project (AHP), the Urban Planning Division, the Building and Supervision Division, the Road and Maintenance Division, the Commission of Culture and Sports (CCS), the Municipality of Asmara, and others. It will be important to provide structure to the various roles and responsibilities of these parties in the UCMP, presumably with the AHP in the lead role in implementing the plan and coordinating the activities of all stakeholders towards the safeguarding of its OUV.
In regard to the development of a financial strategy for funding the necessary conservation and management activities, it is important that the LEDP being developed be linked to the overall UCMP to ensure coordination. The State Party could, as guidance, refer to similar work being developed for buffer zones by other States Parties.
The steps taken for capacity building are to be congratulated, and the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies would encourage the State Party to continue in these efforts both in regard to managing the historic urban landscape and to the physical conservation of this important modern heritage. The State Party also mentions that it continues to search for external funding to meet many of these needs. A focus on ensuring the necessary locally generated resources will be important as future work on management and conservation continues. The work towards completing LEDP should also look at this matter.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2021
44 COM 7B.117
Asmara: a Modernist City of Africa (Eritrea) (C 1550)
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
- Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.104, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
- Commends the ongoing activities aimed at building the capacity of stakeholders at the property in order to enhance the skills and knowledge to safeguard its OUV;
- Acknowledges the progress made on the Urban Conservation Master Plan (UCMP) and the Asmara Planning and Technical Regulation (APTR), but requests the State Party to work with its consultants to finalize these documents in order to submit them as soon as possible to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
- Also requests the State Party to complete the process of designation of the Property as a Protected Site within the framework of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation of 2015 in order to provide a framework for the implementation of the UCMP and for the safeguarding of the property;
- Further reiterates its request for the development of a financial strategy through the foreseen Local Economic Development Plan, linked to the UCMP, for funding the necessary conservation and management activities;
- Congratulates the State Party for the steps taken for capacity building, and encourages it to continue in these efforts both in regard to managing the historic urban landscape and to the physical conservation of this important modern heritage;
- Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022 an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.
Draft Decision: 44 COM 7B.117
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
- Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.104, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
- Commends the ongoing activities aimed at building the capacity of stakeholders at the property in order to enhance the skills and knowledge to safeguard its OUV;
- Acknowledges the progress made on the Urban Conservation Master Plan (UCMP) and the Asmara Planning and Technical Regulation (APTR), but requests the State Party to work with its consultants to finalize these documents in order to submit them as soon as possible to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
- Also requests the State Party to complete the process of designation of the Property as a Protected Site within the framework of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation of 2015 in order to provide a framework for the implementation of the UCMP and for the safeguarding of the property;
- Further reiterates its request for the development of a financial strategy through the foreseen Local Economic Development Plan, linked to the UCMP, for funding the necessary conservation and management activities;
- Congratulates the State Party for the steps taken for capacity building, and encourages it to continue in these efforts both in regard to managing the historic urban landscape and to the physical conservation of this important modern heritage;
- Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022 an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session in 2023.
Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.