CL 128/12



Council


Hundred and Twenty-eighth Session

Rome, 20 - 25 June 2005

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE THIRTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE


Table of Contents


INTRODUCTION

1. At its Thirty-second session (November-December 2003) the Conference decided that its Thirty-third session should be held in Rome from 19 to 26 November 20051.

AGENDA AND SCHEDULING OF ITEMS

2. A provisional agenda for the Conference session containing only matters for which action by the Conference is required is found in Appendix A and includes a list of information documents which will be tabled during the session.

3. Two Commissions will be established: Commission I (substantive and policy matters in food and agriculture) and Commission II (programme and budgetary matters).

4. A tentative timetable of the Conference session is given in Appendix B. The timetable has been compiled on the assumption that the work of Commission I would take up no more than three days and that of Commission II no more than four days. Meetings would normally last from 9.00 to 12.30 hours and from 14.30 to 17.30 hours.

COMPOSITION OF DELEGATIONS

5. Delegations are normally headed by Ministers. In deciding the composition of their delegations, Members will wish to bear in mind the need for effective participation in the work of the Commissions as well as in Plenary.

6. In accordance with Article III of the Constitution, each Member of the Organization may be represented by one delegate, who may be accompanied by alternates, associates and advisers (see Appendix C).

CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES OF THE CONFERENCE

7. In addition to adopting amendments to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the Organization, approving conventions and agreements etc., the Conference has the following specific constitutional duties:

Admission of New Members and Associate Members

8. The Conference, as the supreme authority of the Organization, admits new Members and deals with all matters relating to membership. At the date of preparing this document, one application for membership had been received (Belarus). Under Rule XIX-2 of the General Rules of the Organization (GRO) applications are receivable up to 30 days before the opening of the Conference Session, i.e. 20 October 2005. The admission of new Members is carried out by secret ballot and requires a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, provided that the total number of affirmative and negative votes cast shall be more than one half of the Member Nations of the Organization. Membership becomes effective on the date on which the Conference approves the application. This Agenda item is scheduled for Saturday 19 November 2005.

Appointment of the Director-General

9. In accordance with Article VII of the Constitution and Rule XXXVI GRO, the Conference appoints the Director-General. As required by Rule XXXVI-1(a) GRO, the Council, at its Hundred and Twenty-seventh Session (November 2004), had established 8 April 2005 as the closing date for receipt of nominations for the Office of Director-General. On that date, only the nomination of Mr Jacques Diouf (Senegal) had been received and was subsequently circulated to all Members by Circular Letter ref.G/CF 4/2 of 12 April 2005.

10. Notwithstanding the fact that only one candidate was nominated, a secret ballot is required. This is in accordance with Rule XII-10(a) GRO whereby the appointment of the Director-General is decided by secret ballot, as confirmed by the practice of the Organization in past situations where only one candidate was nominated and where a secret ballot was held. This is also confirmed by a situation where all candidates but one withdrew and a ballot was still held for the election of the remaining candidate.

11. The last sentence of Rule XXXVI-l(a) GRO specifies that "As soon as possible after the opening of the Conference Session, the General Committee shall determine and announce the date of the election, it being understood that the appointment of the Director-General at a regular session shall begin and be effected within three working days following the opening date of such session". It is proposed that balloting take place on the afternoon of Saturday 19 November.

Appointment of the Independent Chairperson of the Council

12. In accordance with Article V-2 of the Constitution and Rule XXIII-I GRO, the Conference appoints the Independent Chairperson of the Council.

13. Rule XXIII-l(b) GRO lays down that the Council shall determine the closing date for submission of nominations for the Office of Independent Chairperson of the Council by Member Nations to the Secretary-General of the Conference. Likewise, the Council also sets the date by which the Secretary General shall circulate these nominations to all Members of the Organization. Taking into consideration past practice the Council may wish to establish 12.00 hours on Friday 9 September 2005 as the closing date for submission of nominations for this appointment, and Friday 16 September 2005 as the date by which such nominations are circulated by the Secretary- General.

14. The election of the Independent Chairperson of the Council is scheduled for
Friday 25 November 2005.

Election of Council Members

15. In accordance with Article V-l of the Constitution, the Conference elects the Members of the Council. A separate paper on the election of Council Members, including Nomination Forms, will be circulated as Conference document C 2005/11. In accordance with Rule XXII-10(a) GRO, the Conference decides the date of the election and the date by which nominations for election to the Council must be submitted. The attached Timetable (Appendix A) proposes that the election be held on Friday 25 November 2005. As laid down in Rule XXII-10(c) GRO, nominations must be supported in writing by the delegates of two Member Nations to the Conference, other than the delegate of the Member Nation nominated, and must be accompanied by a formal written acceptance of the nomination by the delegate of the Member Nation nominated. Rule XXII-10(d) further specifies that the General Committee shall communicate the valid nominations received to the Conference at least three working days before the date selected for the election. In the light of these requirements the Council may wish to recommend that the deadline for the receipt of nominations be set at 12.00 hours on Saturday 19 November 2005.

OFFICERS OF THE CONFERENCE

16. In accordance with Rule XXIV-5(b) GRO, the Council, at its Hundred and Twenty-eighth Session (June 2005) is called upon to propose countries to select candidates for the offices of Chairperson of the Conference and Chairpersons of the Commissions of the Conference. It is also asked to propose nominations for the Credentials Committee consisting of nine Member Nations (Conference Res. 4/99 of November 1999, operative paragraph (a) refers). The members of the Committee so nominated will commence their work in the 15 days leading up to the Conference. At its Hundred and Twenty-ninth Session, immediately preceding the Conference, the Council will nominate the Chairperson of the Conference and the Chairpersons of the Commissions, which in turn will be approved by the 33rd Conference. The Vice-Chairpersons of Commission I and Commission II will be approved by the Conference through the General Committee. The Hundred and Twenty-ninth session of the Council will also propose nominations for the offices of the three Vice-Chairpersons of the Conference, and for the seven elected Members of the General Committee to the Conference.

PLENARY MEETINGS

17. The first two Plenary meetings of the Conference on Saturday 19 November 2005 should consist mainly of procedural matters.

18. At its first Plenary meeting on the morning of Saturday 19 November, the Conference will elect its Chairperson and its three Vice-Chairpersons, elect the seven countries to be members of the General Committee, elect the nine countries to be members of the Credentials Committee (Rule VIII GRO) and the Twenty-fourth McDougall Memorial Lecture will be delivered. The Plenary meeting will then adjourn to enable the General Committee to hold its first meeting.

19. At its second Plenary meeting in the afternoon, the Conference, acting on the first report of the General Committee, will adopt the Agenda, establish the Commissions, appoint a Resolutions Committee (see paragraphs 24 and 25 below) and deal with the admission of observers and other procedural matters. The second Plenary meeting will also adopt the first report of the Credentials Committee. The vote on the admission of new Members is scheduled for the same afternoon, to be followed by the ceremony of admission of new Members. While the votes are being counted, the presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards for 2004 and 2005, the A.H. Boerma Award, the Edouard Saouma Award and the Margarita Lizárraga Medal will take place Following the awards ceremony, the vote for the election of the Director-General will be held.

20. The Third Plenary Meeting will begin with the Director-General’s Statement to the Conference on the work of the Organization and the Statement of the Independent Chairman of the Council.and will then be dedicated to discussion on the State of Food and Agriculture in the world. This discussion will be reserved for statements delivered by Heads of Delegation and continue until the Eighth Plenary meeting.

21 Since only three days are available for statements, and as the great majority of Heads of Delegations present at the Conference will no doubt wish to make statements, the Council may wish to recommend that statements be limited to a maximum of 5 minutes each.

22. The Council may wish to recommend that the morning of Friday 25 November be set aside for the vote on the Programme of Work and Budget 2006-2007, and the afternoon for the election of the Independent Chairperson and Members of the Council.

23. It is proposed that the Plenary meetings from Monday 21 to Saturday 26 November be used to conclude the remaining items on the Agenda and to adopt the report of the Conference. The Council may wish to recommend that the Conference designate a Rapporteur to prepare the draft report of Plenary items for adoption on the final day of the Conference.

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

24. The Council may wish to recommend the establishment of a Resolutions Committee of the Conference composed of seven members, one from each FAO region.

25. The Council may also wish to reiterate the view, expressed on previous occasions, that resolutions should be kept to a minimum, and be confined to matters requiring a formal decision by Conference. Appendix C sets out the criteria for Conference resolutions and the functions and operating procedures of the Resolutions Committee, as adopted in 1975 by the Eighteenth and followed by subsequent sessions of Conference.

INVITATIONS

26. The United Nations, its Specialized Agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency are entitled to be represented at sessions of the Conference, without the right to vote. Other intergovernmental organizations having concluded an agreement with FAO which contains specific provisions to this effect have a right to attend as observers. Those non-governmental organizations which have consultative status are also entitled to send observers to Conference sessions.

27. Other intergovernmental organizations as well as non-governmental organizations having specialized consultative status or liaison status may be invited on a provisional basis by the Director-General, subject to Conference approval. Accordingly, the Provisional Agenda of the Session contains an item entitled “Admission of Observers”.

28. The above provisions are set out in Rule XVII GRO and also in the “FAO Policy Concerning Relations with International Non-Governmental Organizations” (FAO Basic Texts, Volume II, Section P).

29. Observers from non-governmental organizations will be invited to attend informal meetings to be held on Saturday 19 November 2005.

30 The Council may wish to note the Director-General’s suggestion that the Palestine Liberation Organization be invited to attend the Thirty-third Session of the Conference in an observer capacity.

DRAFT DECISION

31. The Council decided to establish the deadline for the receipt of nominations for Independent Chairperson of the Council at 12.00 hours on Friday 9 September 2005.

32. The Council agreed to submit to the Conference for approval the Provisional Agenda, the Tentative Timetable and the arrangements outlined in the draft document, and in particular recommended that:


APPENDIX A - PROVISIONAL AGENDA

PLENARY - INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

1.

Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons

2.

Appointment of General Committee and Credentials Committee

3.

Adoption of the Agenda and Arrangements for the Session

4.

Admission of Observers

5.

Review of the State of Food and Agriculture

 

COMMISSION I - SUBSTANTIVE AND POLICY MATTERS

6.

International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

7.

Progress Report on Implementing the Gender and Development Plan of Action

8.

United Nations/FAO World Food Programme

 

COMMISSION II - PROGRAMME AND BUDGETARY MATTERS

9.

Programme Implementation Report 2002-2003

10.

Programme Evaluation Report 2005

11.

Programme of Work and Budget 2006-2007 (Draft Resolution)

12

Performance of the Split Assessment Arrangement

13

Independent External Evaluation of FAO


LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

A.

Constitutional and Legal Matters

14.

Agreement between FAO and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

15.

Other Constitutional and Legal Matters

   

B.

Administrative and Financial Matters

16.

Audited Accounts 2002-2003 (Draft Resolution)

17.

Scale of Contributions 2006-2007 (Draft Resolution)

18.

Payment by the European Community to Cover Administrative and other Expenses Arising out of its Membership in the Organization

19.

Other Administrative and Financial Matters

 

APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS

20.

Applications for Membership in the Organization

21.

Appointment of the Director-General

22

Election of Council Members

23.

Other Appointments

 

23.1

Appointment of the Independent Chairperson of the Council

 

23.2

Appointment of Representatives of the FAO Conference to the Staff Pension Committee

 

OTHER MATTERS

24.

Date and Place of the Thirty-fourth Conference Session

25.

Any Other Matters

 

25.1

McDougall Memorial Lecture

 

25.2

Presentation of B.R. Sen Awards

 

25.3

Presentation of A.H. Boerma Award

 

25.4

Presentation of Edouard Saouma Award

 

25.5

Margarita Lizárraga Medal

 

25.6

In Memoriam

 

Information Documents will be tabled on the following subjects*

A.

Statutory Report on Status of Conventions and Agreements, and Amendments thereto

B.

Status of Contributions

C.

The Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security

   

*

Delegates wishing to comment on Information Documents will be given an opportunity to do so under Item 25: Any Other Matters.


APPENDIX B
TENTATIVE TIMETABLE OF THE CONFERENCE -
DETAILED SCHEDULE


Saturday 19 November 2005

 
Plenary
 
10.00-12.30
hours

am

1st Meeting:

Item 1:
Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons
Item 2:
Appointment of General Committee and Credentials Committee (Member Nations)
Item 25:
Any Other Matters
Item 25.1:
McDougall Memorial Lecture



[Informal Meeting of Observers from Non-Governmental Organizations]

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

2nd Meeting

Item 3:
Adoption of the Agenda and Arrangements for the Session
Item 4:
Admission of Observers
Item 20:
Applications for Membership in the Organization (Vote)
Item 25:
Any Other Matters
25.2:
Presentation of B.R. Sen Awards
25.3:
Presentation of A.H. Boerma Award
25.4:
Presentation of Edouard Saouma Award
25.5:
Margarita Lizárraga Medal
Item 20:
Applications for Membership in the Organization (cont’d) (Admission Ceremony)

Item 21: Appointment of the Director-General



[Informal Meeting of Observers from Non-Governmental Organizations]

Monday 21 November 2005

 
Plenary

Commission I

Commission II

09.30-12.30
hours

am

3rd Meeting


Director-General’s Statement
Independent Chairperson of the Council’s Statement


Item 5:
Review of the State of Food and Agriculture

  

1st Meeting

Item 9:
Programme Implementation Report 2002-2003

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

4th Meeting

Item 5:
Review of the State of Food and Agriculture (cont'd)

 

2nd Meeting

Item 9
:
Programme Implementation Report 2002-2003 (cont'd)

Item 10:
Programme Evaluation Report 2005

Tuesday 22 November 2005

 
Plenary
Commission I
Commission II
09.30-12.30
hours

am

5th Meeting


Item 5
: Review of the State of Food and Agriculture
(cont'd)

1st Meeting

Item 6
:
International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

3rd Meeting

Item 10:
Programme Evaluation Report 2005 (cont'd)

Item 11
Programme of Work and Budget 2006-2007 (Draft resolution)

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

6th Meeting


Item 5
: Review of the State of Food and Agriculture (cont'd)

2nd Meeting


Item 8:
United Nations/FAO World Food Programme

4th Meeting

Item 11:
Programme of Work and Budget 2006-2007 (Draft Resolution) (cont’d)


Wednesday 23 November 2005

 
Plenary
 
Commission I
Commission II
09.30-12.30
hours

am

7th Meeting


Item 5
: Review of the State of Food and Agriculture (cont'd)

3rd Meeting

Item 7
:
Progress Report on Implementing the Gender and Development Plan of Action

5th Meeting

Item 11:
Programme of Work and Budget 2006-2007 (cont'd)

Item 12
:
Performance of the Split Assessment Arrangement

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

8th Meeting


Item 5
: Review of the State of Food and Agriculture (cont'd)

 

6th Meeting

Item 13:
Independent External Evaluation of FAO


Thursday 24 November 2005

 
Plenary
Commission I
Commission II
09.30-12.30
hours

am

9th Meeting:
Item 14
:
Agreement between FAO and the World Intellectual Property (WIPO)
Item 15
:
Other Constitutional and Legal Matters
Item 16
:
Audited Accounts 2002-2003 (Draft Resolution)
Item 17
:
Scale of Contributions 2006-2007 (Draft Resolution)
Item 18
:
Payment by the European Community to Cover Administrative and other Expenses Arising out of its Membership in the Organization
Item 19
:
Other Administrative and Financial Matters

   
14.30-17.30
hours

pm

10th Meeting
Item 23.2
:
Appointment of Representatives of the FAO Conference to the Staff Pension Committee
Item 25
:
Any Other Matters
Item 25.6
: In Memoriam
Item 24
:
Date and Place of the Thirty-fourth Conference Session

Adoption of the Report

Adoption of the Report


Friday 25 November 2005

 
Plenary
09.30-12.30
hours

am

11th Meeting

Adoption of Commission II Report on
Item 11 (PWB 2006-2007)

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

12th Meeting

Item 22
: Election of Council Members
Item 23.1:
Appointment of the Independent Chairperson of the Council

Saturday 26 November 2005

 
Plenary
09.30-12.30
hours

am

13th Meeting


Adoption of Report of Commission I
Adoption of Report of Commission II

Adoption of Report of Plenary

14.30-17.30
hours

pm

   
Plenary
Commission I
    Commission II
TOTAL

Saturday 19 November

am
pm

1
2

-
-

-
-

1
1

Monday 21 November

am
pm

3
4

-
-

1
2

2
2

Tuesday 22 November

am
pm

5
6

1
2

3
4

3
3

Wednesday 23 November

am
pm

7
8

3
-

5
6

3
2

Thursday 24 November

am
pm

9
10

-
4

-
7

1
3

Friday 25 November

am
pm

11
12

-
-

-
-

1
1

Saturday 26 November

am
pm

13
14

-
-

-
-

1
1



APPENDIX C
EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF FAO

1. There shall be a Conference of the Organization in which each Member Nation and Associate Member shall be represented by one delegate. Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of the Conference but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

2. Each Member Nation and Associate Member may appoint alternates, associates and advisers to its delegate. The Conference may determine the conditions for the participation of alternates, associates and advisers in its proceedings, but any such participation shall be without the right to vote, except in the case of an alternate, associate, or adviser participating in the place of a delegate.

3. No delegate may represent more than one Member Nation or Associate Member.

4. Each Member Nation shall have one vote. A Member Nation which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the Conference if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the Contributions due from it for the two preceding calendar years. The Conference may, nevertheless, permit such a Member Nation to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member Nation.



APPENDIX D
CRITERIA FOR CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS AND FUNCTIONS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THE RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

1. Criteria for the Formulation of Resolutions

Resolutions should be confined essentially to the following normal matters:

    1. Amendments to the Constitution, the General Rules of the Organization, and the Financial Regulations.
    2. Approval or confirmation of conventions or agreements and of amendments thereto.
    3. Establishment of bodies under Article VI of the Constitution and adoption or amendment of the Statutes of such Bodies.
    4. Adoption of the Programme of Work and Budget for the ensuing biennium.
    5. Decisions regarding financial matters such as the Working Capital Fund, the scale of contributions, and adoption of audited accounts.
    6. Major programme and policy matters,
    7. Recommendations to Member Nations or to international organizations.
    8. Matters relating to the appointment of the Director-General and the Chairperson of the Council.
    9. Tributes and commemorations of special importance to FAO.

2. Functions of the Resolutions Committee

    1. The Resolutions Committee shall examine all draft resolutions, with the exception of those submitted to the Conference by the Council, unless determined otherwise by the General Committee.
    2. The Resolutions Committee shall endeavour to keep the number of resolutions to a minimum, and to ensure that resolutions conform to the criteria set forth above. It shall also draw attention to any significant constitutional programme or budgetary implications of draft resolutions proposed for adoption.
    3. The Resolutions Committee may make editorial or similar amendments not affecting the substance of draft resolutions. The Committee may recommend such other amendments as it may deem appropriate. With the consent of the sponsors, the Committee may amend draft resolutions moved from the floor in the course of the Conference session.

3. Operating Procedures of the Resolutions Committee

    1. Meetings of the Resolutions Committee shall be convened, as often as necessary, by its Chairperson or by the General Committee. Except as provided in paragraph (e) below, meetings of the Committee shall be held in private. The Committee shall maintain close liaison with the General Committee on both substantive and procedural matters.
    2. Draft resolutions shall be transmitted to the Resolutions Committee before they are submitted to a Commission or a Plenary meeting of the Conference for discussion and approval.
    3. If a draft resolution does not meet the criteria set forth above, the Resolutions Committee will suggest that the substance be incorporated into the narrative text of the Conference Report.
    4. If the Resolutions Committee has doubts regarding the likelihood of agreement in the substance of a draft resolution, the Committee may decide that the substance be debated in the appropriate forum, and that after this debate and a decision on the substance, the draft resolution be returned to the Resolutions Committee for consideration.
    5. The Resolutions Committee may invite the sponsors of a draft resolution to participate in its deliberations and, subject to the consent of such sponsors, may make such amendments to draft resolutions as it may consider appropriate.
    6. The Resolutions Committee may delegate its Chairperson or one or more of its members to attend the debate where a draft resolution is discussed, either to explain the Committee’s views and reasons for any proposed changes, or to follow the debate so as to be able to inform the Committee of the background when the text of the draft resolution is submitted to the Committee.
    7. The Resolutions Committee shall submit reports on all draft resolutions which have been referred to it, and such reports shall be circulated as Conference documents. Amendments to draft resolutions recommended by the Committee in its reports shall be deemed to be amendments within the meaning of Rule XI-3 GRO and, if necessary, shall be considered by the appropriate Commission or at a Plenary meeting on the day on which the relevant report is circulated.

1 C 2003/REP para 146.