The plenary then delved into the Charter of the network. The Articles to be included in the Charter were:
· Preamble
· The Name
· The Seat
· The Objectives
· The Functions
· The Membership
· The Sources of other Funds
· The Steering Committee
· The Duties of the Steering Committee
· The Executive Committee
· The Duties of the Executive Committee
· The Executive Secretary and the Secretariat
· The National Coordinators
· The Quorum
· The Amendments to the Charter
· The Dissolution
The broad categories of this membership is countries, forest and forestry institutions, NGOs, private companies, donors and individuals. The paying members would have voting rights at the Steering Committee meetings while those with observer status would not. The participants also discussed the issue of affiliation and/or registration with other organizations. It was suggested that the network register with the International Union of Forestry Research Association but this was deemed inappropriate because the network was not a research institution per se.
The participants agreed that for the purpose of the meetings, 50 % of the membership would comprise the quorum while for the dissolution of the network, 2/3 of the members would be needed to effect that. The Charter is as follows:
CHARTER OF THE FOREST PEST MANAGEMENT NETWORK FOR CENTRAL, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA
PREAMBLE
The Forest and Forestry Research Institutions in the African Region:
· Aware of the problems and challenges posed by the prevalence of forest pests in the region;· Conscious of the responsibility which they must assume if they are to contribute to reducing the damage caused by forest pests in the region;
· Convinced that the role and the impact of the respective institutions can be enhanced through effective collaboration and consultation among them;
Have decided to establish a regional network of Forest and Forestry Research Institutions in the pursuit of their common objectives
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this Network shall be the Forest Pest Management Network for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa.
ARTICLE II
Seat
The Network shall have its secretariat in Kenya.
ARTICLE III
Objectives
The overall objective of the network shall be to contain the damage to trees and forest products caused by pests within economically, socially and environmentally acceptable levels in the African region.
The shorter term objective is to have a regional network for effective and sustainable pest management, providing enhanced communication between institutions and workers engaged in forest insect and disease management.
ARTICLE IV
In pursuance of the above objectives, the network may undertake one or more of the following activities:
(a) Improve information flow in the region
(b) Improve the availability of key resources
(c) Improve pest management systems where needed
(d) Recommend appropriate policies and actions
The above can be achieved through newsletters, pest alerts, workshops and special studies.
ARTICLE V
Membership
Membership shall be open to national research forest institutions/ councils / organizations/ universities/ private firms/ individual etc. from countries of the region. Membership in the network may be sought by submitting an application to the Executive Secretary.
Any member institution desiring to withdraw from the network shall notify the Executive Secretary in writing and such withdrawal shall take effect three months from the date of receipt of the notice by the Executive Secretary.
ARTICLE VI
Membership Subscription
With the exception of non-voting members, all members of the network shall pay a nominal subscription fee to the network. This shall comprise one segment of the network's funding.
ARTICLE VII
Other sources of funds
Other sources of funds shall consist of:
(a) Grants and donations from governments, national, regional or international organizations and development banks and others;(b) Proceeds from the sale of publications issued by the network; and
(c) Fees, if any, collected from participants of any technical meetings organized by the network.
ARTICLE VIII
The Steering Committee
The Steering Committee of the network shall be represented by one delegate from each participating country elected by the member institutions within that country.
The Steering Committee shall meet at least once every two years.
Each member country represented in the network (except for the non-voting members), shall have one vote. Members from a country shall elect at the start of the meeting a member institution which should represent their country for voting at ordinary or extraordinary meetings.
All decisions shall be taken by a simple majority vote. In the case of equality of votes, the chairman shall have a casting vote.
The Executive Secretary shall be the Secretary to the Steering Committee.
ARTICLE IX
Duties of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee shall determine:
· The policy of the network;
· Programme of work and budget;
· Review progress;
· Exercise other powers conferred upon it by the Constitution
ARTICLE X
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall comprise four representatives from the member countries plus the Executive Secretary. The chairman shall be selected by members.
ARTICLE XI
Duties of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall:
(a) Manage the affairs of the network
(b) Organise information flow plans
(c) Organise training
(d) Prepare proposals
(e) Pursue funding (internal and external)
(f) Establish links with international organizations
(g) Coordinate National Coordinators
(h) Disburse funds
ARTICLE XII
Executive Secretary and Secretariat
The Secretariat of the Network shall be headed by the Executive Secretary with a skeleton staff who shall be paid employees of the network.
ARTICLE XIII
Rules and Regulations
The General Rules of Procedures and Financial regulations shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and approved by the Steering Committee. Amendments to the Rules and Regulations may be adopted by a simple majority vote at any session of the Steering Committee.
ARTICLE XIV
Quorum
The quorum at all meetings shall be 50 % of the membership
ARTICLE XV
Amendment of the Constitution
Amendment of the Constitution shall be considered only at a meeting of the Steering Committee. The Network may amend this Constitution by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
ARTICLE XVI
Dissolution
The Network can only be dissolved by a resolution approved at a Steering Committee by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
