The Executive Committee

Role of the Executive Committee and of the President
Composition of the Executive Committee
Meetings of the Executive Committee

Role of the Executive Committee and of the President

The Executive Committee is the Organization's select deliberative organ the General Assembly is its plenary deliberative organ.

1. The role of the Executive Committee

In conformity with Article 22 of the Organization's Constitution, the Executive Committee:

1. Supervises the execution of the decisions of the General Assembly;
2. Prepares the agenda for sessions of the General Assembly;
3. Submits to the General Assembly any programme of work or project which it considers useful;
4. Supervises the administration and work of the Secretary General;
5. Exercises all the powers delegated to it by the Assembly.

The Executive Committee can propose amendments to the Organization's Constitution, adopts and revises the Staff Rules and the Rules on the deletion of police information held at the General Secretariat.

With regard to the budget, it gives the Secretary General instructions, adopts the rules on application of the Financial Regulations, approves any changes to the budget which might prove necessary during the course of the financial year, and decides on the sanctions to be applied to countries with arrears in their contributions.

The Executive Committee proposes a candidate for the post of Secretary General, for approval to be elected by the General Assembly.

2. The role of the President

In conformity with Article 18 of the Organization's Constitution, the President of the Organization who is the Chairman of the Executive Committee, presides at meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee and directs the discussions. He ensures that the activities of the Organization are in conformity with the decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee, and maintains direct and constant contact with the Secretary General.

Composition of the Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee has thirteen members:

• The President of the Organization;
• Three Vice-Presidents;
• Nine Delegates.
  

Three criteria govern the geographical origin of members of the Executive Committee: they must all come from different countries, account must be taken of the geographical distribution decided by the General Assembly at its 33rd session (Caracas, 1964), and the President and the three Vice-Presidents must come from different continents.

If the President was not a member of the Executive Committee before being elected President, and there is no vacant post for the same continent, the Executive Committee may be composed of fourteen members for a temporary period: a fourth Vice-President is then elected so that all the continents are represented at the Presidency level. This temporary period must end as soon as circumstances permit.

2. Elections

Members of the Executive Committee are elected by the General Assembly as necessary at the end of each ordinary session; only delegates are eligible for election. Delegates are representatives of the Organization's member countries at the General Assembly session. Their term of office ends automatically if they fail to comply with this condition.

Elections are intended to fill vacancies arising at the end of members' terms of office, should a member die or resign.

Voting is by secret ballot. If two candidates obtain the same number of votes, a second ballot is taken. If this is not decisive, lots are drawn. A two-thirds majority is required for the election of the President; should this majority not be obtained after the second ballot, a simple majority is sufficient.

In conformity with Article 52 of the General Regulations, delegates from a member country which has not fulfilled its financial obligations vis-à-vis the Organization are not eligible for election to the Executive Committee.

3. Terms of office

The President is elected for four years and Vice-Presidents for three. They are not immediately eligible for re-election either to the same posts or as Delegates on the Executive Committee.

Delegates are elected for three years; they are not immediately eligible for re-election to the same posts.

The term of office of a member of the Executive Committee comes to an end if he resigns, dies or ceases to be a delegate to the Organization. Where appropriate, the term of office of the member elected to replace him expires on the same date as his predecessor's.

Executive Committee members remain in office until the end of the session of the General Assembly held in the year in which their term of office expires.

Meetings of the Executive Committee

Article 20 of the Organization's Constitution stipulates that the Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year on being convened by the President of the Organization.

In practice, the Executive Committee meets three times a year. As a general rule, the first two sessions are held at the Organization's Headquarters. The third session is held immediately prior to the General Assembly session in the host country.

Executive Committee meetings are governed by the Rules of Procedure adopted in 1994, which lay down the procedures to be followed during the discussions.