RIYADH: The UN World Heritage Committee included new sites on its list of landmarks that it considers to be in danger, during its 45th annual meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Saturday. The natural sites included the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Congo, the Andrefana Dry Forests in Madagascar, and the volcanoes and forests of Mount Pelee and the Pitons of northern Martinique, France. The committee also expanded the boundaries of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, to include the Cat Ba Archipelago. UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger includes around 50 sites, and this year the committee is aiming to add another 50, including 37 cultural sites, 12 natural sites, and two sites of multiple importance, according to the Saudi Press Agency, During the meetings, which began on Sept. 10, the committee’s member states are voting on regulations, inscribing nominated sites to the heritage list, and amending the boundaries of existing heritage sites. More sites are expected to be included on the list up until the end of session, which concludes on Sept. 25. The UNESCO World Heritage List reflects the cultural and natural diversity of the world, and the organization holds an annual meeting to update the list, which is vital for the tourism sector and for providing funding to preserve sites. During the session, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan submitted a joint request to include the 900 km-long Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor, located along the historic Silk Road. Tunisia hopes to include the 514 sq. km island of Djerba on the World Heritage List. It occupies one of the most important strategic locations in the Mediterranean, surrounded by nature, and has a long and rich history and many natural and cultural components. The committee is also considering including the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve, which is located on the southwestern edge of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter. Its area is 12,787 sq. km and includes a number of land formations and important natural habitats, including high sand dunes and an intermittent limestone plateau. Turkiye wishes to include its medieval mosques, distinguished by their wooden structures, while France is proposing the carefully preserved ancient Roman temple of Maison Carree (square house), located in the southwestern city of Nimes. On Friday, the committee placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its danger list — St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and the medieval center of the western city of Lviv — due to the threat of destruction posed by Russia’s ongoing offensive in the Eastern European country. It also decided to remove the site of the Tombs of the Buganda Kings in Kasubi, Uganda, from the List of World Heritage in Danger, following successful restoration work carried out by the country with UNESCO’s support.