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AARINENA Consitution was adopted in October 1983. It was amended by the Fifth General Conference held in Rabat-Morocco, April 1996 and by the Seventh General Conference held in Beirut-Lebanon, May 2000 and by the 10th General Conference held in Sanaa, Yemen in June 2006.

Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA)

PREAMBLE

The agricultural research institutions in the Near East and North Africa:

- Aware of the problems and challenges facing the development of agriculture in the Region,
- Conscious of the responsibilities which they must assume if they are to contribute to the process of rural and economic development in the Region,
- Convinced that the role and impact of the respective institutions can be enhanced through effective cooperation and consultation between them,
Have decided to unite themselves in the pursuit of their common objectives and hereby establish an Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa under the terms of this Constitution.

ARTICLE I
Name, Legal Status and Seat
1. The name of this organization shall be "Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa" (AARINENA), hereinafter referred to as the Association.

2. The Association is established as an autonomous body. It shall have the capacity of a legal person to perform any activities appropriate to the fulfillment of its objectives as laid down in this Constitution.

3. The Association shall, in particular, have the capacity:
(a) To hold funds or currency of any kind and operate currency accounts;
(b) To collect subscriptions from member institutions and proceeds from the sale of publications issued by the Association;
(c) To conclude agreements and contracts, to acquire, hold and dispose of immovable and movable property and to institute legal proceedings;
(d) To accept loans, grants and donations in cash or in kind from governments, national, regional and international organizations, development banks and other sources for the purpose of the Association.

4. The Association shall have its seat at the ICARDA office in Amman, Jordan. The General Conference shall be empowered to change the seat of the Association.

ARTICLE II
The Region
1. For the purpose of this Constitution, the Near East and North Africa Region, hereinafter referred to as the Region, shall consist of the following Member Countries covering territories of : Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

2. The Region will be sub-divided into the following five sub-regions:

(a) Maghreb Sub-Region: Territories of Algeria, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia.
(b) Nile Valley and Red Sea Sub-Region: Territories of Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen.
(c) Mashreq Sub-Region: Territories of Cyprus, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria.
(d) Arabian Peninsula Sub-Region: Territories of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
(c) West Asia Sub-Region: Territories of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey.

ARTICLE III
Objectives
The objectives of the Association shall be to:

1. Foster the development of agricultural research in the Near East and North Africa Region;

2. Promote the exchange of agricultural, scientific and technical experience and information;

3. Encourage the establishment of appropriate cooperative research and training programmes in accordance with identified regional, bilateral or national needs and priorities;

4. Advise member institutions on issues pertinent to research organization and management;

5. Strengthen cross-linkages between national, regional and international research centres and organizations, including universities, through involvement in jointly-planned research and training programmes.

6. Strengthen national agricultural research capacities for providing timely and necessary data and information to the policy makers;

7. Assist in the mobilization of financial and other forms of support to all efforts aiming at strengthening agricultural research and technology development in the Region.
ARTICLE IV Functions

In puissance of the above objectives, the Association shall assume the following functions:
1. Convene biennial General Conferences at which chief research administrators of member institutions may discuss the Association's administration, research policies and priorities, and evaluate research programmes and supervise their implementations;

2. Organize working parties and seminars to discuss specific problems or undertake technical studies;

3. Sponsor alone, or in collaboration with other institutions or organizations, seminars, training courses or workshops;

4. Establish, through national/regional institutions, research and information networks;

5. Sponsor, if deemed feasible, regional scientific disciplinary associations and/or agricultural research periodicals;

6. Maintain links with agencies, institutions, or organizations and other entities undertaking similar activities within and outside the Region.

Functions
In puissance of the above objectives, the Association shall assume the following functions:
1. Convene biennial General Conferences at which chief research administrators of member institutions may discuss the Association's administration, research policies and priorities, and evaluate research programmes and supervise their implementations;

2. Organize working parties and seminars to discuss specific problems or undertake technical studies;

3. Sponsor alone, or in collaboration with other institutions or organizations, seminars, training courses or workshops;

4. Establish, through national/regional institutions, research and information networks;

5. Sponsor, if deemed feasible, regional scientific disciplinary associations and/or agricultural research periodicals;

6. Maintain links with agencies, institutions, or organizations and other entities undertaking similar activities within and outside the Region.

ARTICLE V
Membership
1. There shall be two types of members: (a) Full Members.
(b) Associate Members.
2. Full membership shall be open to the following institutions in the territories of the Region: (a) National agricultural research institutions, councils and organizations.
(b) Agricultural universities and colleges and similar institutions of higher agricultural education.
3. Associate Membership shall be open to: (a) Regional and international agricultural research institutions and organizations operating in the Region.
(b) Basic research centres operating inside or outside the Region and furthering the objectives of the Association.
(c) Agricultural research oriented private sector institutions and non governmental organizations and natural resources management institutions.
(d) Other organizations or bodies as may be decided by the General Conference of the Association.
4. Full or Associate Membership in the Association shall be acquired by submitting an application to the Executive Secretary of the Association. Admission to membership shall be effective upon approval by the Executive Committee.

5. Full Members shall have the right to vote at the meetings of the Association bodies. Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the meetings of the Association bodies, but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

6. Any Member institution desiring to withdraw from the Association shall notify the Executive Secretary in writing, and such withdrawal shall take effect three months from the date of the receipt by the Executive Secretary of the notice.

7. Membership shall be suspended automatically in the event of failure to settle the annual subscription for two consecutive years. All membership rights will be regained automatically upon payment of the total outstanding amount of the subscription.

ARTICLE VI
Resources
The resources of the Association shall consist of:

(a) Annual membership subscriptions for Full and Associate Members as established by the General Conference at each biennial session;
(b) Grants and donations from individuals, governments, national, regional or international organizations, and development banks and others which may be accepted on behalf of the Association by the Executive Committee;
(c) Proceeds from the sale of publications issued by the Association; and
(d) Fees, if any, collected from participants of any technical meeting organized by the Association.

Governing Bodies
The organs of the Association shall be : (a) The General Conference; and (b) The Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VIII The General Conference
1. There shall be a General Conference of the Association, hereinafter referred to as the Conference, in which each Full Member 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 or have right to vote.

2. The Conference shall be the supreme governing body of the Association. In fulfillment of its objectives, the Conference shall determine the policy of the Association, approve the Programme of Work and Budget prepared by the Executive Committee, supervise implementation and review progress, and shall exercise other powers conferred upon it by the Constitution.
3. The Conference shall meet once every two years in regular session, at a place to be decided upon at the previous regular session. The dates of these meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee and Communicated to all member institutions and associate institutions at least three months in advance.

4. The agenda for the biennial Conference shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and shall be dispatched to all member institutions, and to such observers as the Executive Committee shall decide to invite, not less than ninety days before the scheduled dates for the sessions.
5. The General Conference shall elect, in the conditions mentioned in Article IX, paragraph 1, the five members of the Executive Committee. It will also elect, among the members of the Executive Committee, a President and a Vice-President who shall act, at the same time, as President and Vice-President of the General Conference and of the Executive Committee. The term of office of the President and Vice-President will be of two years. They will be eligible for immediate re-election for only one more term for the same office.

6. The Conference may meet in special session:
(a) if at any regular session the Conference decides, by a majority of the votes cast, to meet in the following year; or
(b) if two-thirds of the Full Members so request the President. Such meetings shall require a minimum notice of sixty days and the agenda shall consist exclusively of those items listed in the request for such a meeting.

7. Each Full Member shall have one vote at all sessions. All decisions shall be taken by simple majority vote, except for those decisions relating to amendments to the Constitution, and those related to the dissolution of the Association. In the case of equality of votes, the President shall have a casting vote.
8. The local operational costs of the Conference Sessions shall normally be borne by the host member institution unless decided otherwise by the Conference or the Executive Committee.

The General Conference
1. There shall be a General Conference of the Association, hereinafter referred to as the Conference, in which each Full Member 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 or have right to vote.

2. The Conference shall be the supreme governing body of the Association. In fulfillment of its objectives, the Conference shall determine the policy of the Association, approve the Programme of Work and Budget prepared by the Executive Committee, supervise implementation and review progress, and shall exercise other powers conferred upon it by the Constitution.
3. The Conference shall meet once every two years in regular session, at a place to be decided upon at the previous regular session. The dates of these meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee and Communicated to all member institutions and associate institutions at least three months in advance.

4. The agenda for the biennial Conference shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and shall be dispatched to all member institutions, and to such observers as the Executive Committee shall decide to invite, not less than ninety days before the scheduled dates for the sessions.
5. The General Conference shall elect, in the conditions mentioned in Article IX, paragraph 1, the five members of the Executive Committee. It will also elect, among the members of the Executive Committee, a President and a Vice-President who shall act, at the same time, as President and Vice-President of the General Conference and of the Executive Committee. The term of office of the President and Vice-President will be of two years. They will be eligible for immediate re-election for only one more term for the same office.

6. The Conference may meet in special session:
(a) if at any regular session the Conference decides, by a majority of the votes cast, to meet in the following year; or
(b) if two-thirds of the Full Members so request the President. Such meetings shall require a minimum notice of sixty days and the agenda shall consist exclusively of those items listed in the request for such a meeting.

7. Each Full Member shall have one vote at all sessions. All decisions shall be taken by simple majority vote, except for those decisions relating to amendments to the Constitution, and those related to the dissolution of the Association. In the case of equality of votes, the President shall have a casting vote.
8. The local operational costs of the Conference Sessions shall normally be borne by the host member institution unless decided otherwise by the Conference or the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX
Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee shall consist of five members, including the President and Vice-President, elected at each biennial session of the Conference from amongst representatives of the full members on the basis of their administrative positions as delegated representing the five sub-regions. No sub-region will have more than one representative in the Executive Committee. All officers elected for the Executive Committee shall take office at the end of the Conference session in which they are elected until the end of the next biennial session; they shall not be eligible for immediate re-election of the same office for more than two terms.
2. The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association in accordance with this Constitution and the policies and directives adopted by the General Conference. It shall prepare the budget estimates of the Association for the consideration and approval of the Conference. The Executive Committee shall report to the Conference on the implementation of the approved programme of work and the progress made in fulfilling the objectives of the Association.
3. Nomination for office in the Executive Committee of the Association shall be made in writing, duly seconded, and submitted to the Nomination Officer at least twelve hours before the Conference session earmarked for the election of officers.
4. A Nomination Officer shall be elected by the Conference at the beginning of the Session. He shall receive nominations for office in the Executive Committee and report to the Conference on the nominations received at the beginning of the meeting earmarked for election.
5. Voting to elect members of the Executive Committee of the Association shall be by secret ballot. The Chairman of the Meeting shall appoint from among the delegates, two tellers who will supervise the balloting procedure, count the ballot papers, decide on the validity of these papers in any case of doubt, and certify the result of each ballot.
6. If any one of the offices of President or Vice-President becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Executive Committee shall select one of their own members to fill the vacancy. A position of ordinary member of the Executive Committee which falls vacant shall be filled by the unsuccessful candidate who had the highest number of votes in the election of the Executive Committee members at the preceding Conference Session. Persons who become members of the Executive Committee under this provision will remain in office until the next Session of the Conference.
7. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every year and shall be called by the Executive Secretary at the direction of the President.

ARTICLE X
Duties of the President and Vice-President
1. The President shall normally preside at all meetings of the Conference and the Executive Committee. He Shall be the Association's spokesman in all matters of policy approved by the Association or the Executive Committee, and he shall represent the Association in all legal matters.
2. The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in the absence of the latter, and such other duties as may be assigned to him by the President.

ARTICLE XI
Executive Secretary
1. The Executive Secretary of the Association shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a period of four years renewable once, and according to the rules and conditions and terms of employment set by the Conference.

2. Under the overall supervision of the President, the Executive Secretary shall take all necessary actions to implement the decisions of the Conference and the Executive Committee and to manage and run the day-to-day functions of the Association. The Executive Secretary shall specifically have the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) Organize the General Conference and Executive Committee sessions, prepare the minutes and arrange for the publication, distribution and preservation of the reports and proceedings of all meetings of the Association.
(b) Organize conferences, workshops, training programmes and any other meetings upon the request of the Executive Committee.
(c) Prepare the Association's Programme of Work and Budget propose joint work programmes with other regional and international organizations and ensure coordination of all activities among the Members of the Association.
(d) Manage the financial affairs of the Association and, in particular, collect annual subscriptions and receive any other financial contributions to the Association, account for all monies received, make payments in accordance with policies established by the General Conference and the Executive Committee and submit audited accounts to the biennial General Conference.
(e) Organize the issue of the Association's Newsletter and provide documentation services to facilitate easy access to necessary information on agricultural research in all sub-regions.
(f) Undertake any other duties entrusted to him by the Executive Committee.
3. In carrying out the above duties and responsibilities, the Executive Secretary shall be assisted by full/part-time staff as may be required.

ARTICLE XII
Rules and Regulations
The General Rules of Procedures and Financial Regulations shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and approved by the General Conference of the Association. Amendments to the Rules and Regulations may be adopted by simple majority vote at any session of the General Conference.

ARTICLE XIII
Auditors
1. Auditors shall be appointed at the General Conference for the period until the next biennial meeting. All the Association's accounts, records and documents shall be subject to inspection by the auditors at any time. The Secretary shall produce an account of his receipts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilities, which shall be updated not more than sixty days before the biennial General Conference. The auditors shall examine such biennial accounts and statements and certify that they are correct, duty vouched, and in accordance with the Rules and Financial Regulations of the Association, or report in what respect they are found to be incorrect or not in accordance with such Rules and Financial Regulations.
2. A copy of the auditor's report on the accounts and statements shall be made available to all member institutions and associate institutions at or before the General Conference.
3. The auditor's honorarium shall be determined at the General Conference which appoints them.

ARTICLE XIV
Quorum
The quorum at all meetings shall be fifty percent of the Full membership.

ARTICLE XV
Amendments to the Constitution
1. Amendments to the Constitution shall be considered only at a session of the Conference. Proposals for such amendments shall be made in writing, duly seconded, and circulated to all Full Members at least sixty days before the Session.
2. Amendments to the Constitution shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of all Full Members present at the session.

ARTICLE XVI
Dissolution
1. The Association can only be dissolved by a resolution approved at a Conference Session by a vote of two-thirds of all Full Members of the Association. Full Members absent from the meeting shall be entitled to a postal vote.
2. Should a motion for dissolution be approved, the Executive Secretary shall pay all debts and liabilities of the Association, including the auditor's honorarium, within three months and shall, within one further month, initiate the appropriate action required for the discreet implementation of the instructions of the Conference with respect to the utilization of the balance of assets. The auditors shall inspect the accounts and certify in writing to all Full Members that they are correct, duly vouched and in accordance with the Rules and Financial Regulations of the Association, or report in what respect they are found to be incorrect, or not in accordance with such Rules and Financial Regulations. The dissolution of the Association shall not take effect until the auditors have certified that the accounts are correct in all respects and that no debts or assets remain.

ARTICLE XVII
Authoritative Texts
The Arabic and English versions of this Constitution shall be equally authoritative.