S. AUTHORITY, TERMS OF REFERENCE AND CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS OF REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Resolution No. 14/69 of the fifteenth session of the Conference¹

FAO Regional Conferences
THE CONFERENCE

Noting the growing importance of the role of regional conferences in the elaboration of the general policy of the Organization;

Considering the desirability, in line with Article VI.5 of the Constitution, of laying down the terms of reference of the regional conferences, so that they may more effectively carry out their role;

Considering further the recommendation of the Ninth Regional Conference for the Near East (Baghdad, September-October 1968) and the resolution of the Fifth Regional Conference for Africa (Kampala, November 1968);

Decides that regional conferences for Africa, Asia and the Far East,² Europe, Latin America³ and the Near East shall have the following functions:

1. to hold consultations at a high level;
2. to indicate the special problems of their respective regions and the priority areas of need which should be taken into account in preparing the Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium as well as in relation to longer-term programme objectives;
3. to examine the adaptation of the policy objectives of the Organization to the needs of the region concerned;
4. to undertake consultations on the means by which the countries in the region can help solve their own problems through the use of their own resources, and on the volume and nature of the external aid required to implement their food and agricultural development plans;

Decides further that regional conferences may make recommendations to Member Nations in the region, the Conference, the Council, the Director-General and, through the Director-General, to the United Nations regional economic commissions. Recommendations addressed to the Conference, the Council and the Director-General will be studied by the Director-General, who will inform the Council and the Conference as to how far he has been able to take them into account in framing his draft Programme of Work and Budget and, where he has been unable to do so, state his reasons; and

Recommends:

1. that the regional conferences for Africa, Asia and the Far East,⁴ Europe, Latin America⁵ and the Near East be held at intervals of not less than two years, in the years in which the Conference does not meet in regular session;
2. that, with a view to strengthening collaboration among regional development agencies, the agenda for the regional conferences and for the United Nations regional economic commissions should in each case be the subject of consultations between FAO and these commissions.

(Adopted 24 November 1969)

1 The above resolution has been incorporated in this volume in accordance with the decision of the fifteenth session of the Conference (see paragraph 600 of the Report of the fifteenth session of the Conference, Rome 1969).

2 Title changed by decision of the twentieth session of the Conference to "Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific" (see paragraph 461 of the Report of the twentieth session of the Conference, Rome 1979).

3 Title changed by decision of the twenty-second session of the Conference to "Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean" (see paragraph 326 of the Report of the twenty-second session of the Conference, Rome 1983).

4 Title changed by decision of the twentieth session of the Conference to "Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific" (see paragraph 461 of the Report of the twentieth session of the Conference, Rome 1979).

5Title changed by decision of the twenty-second session of the Conference to "Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean" (see paragraph 326 of the Report of the twenty-second session of the Conference, Rome 1983).