Hybrid session and the related special procedures (Decision)

DECISION WPR/RC73(1) HYBRID SESSION AND THE RELATED SPECIAL PROCEDURES The Regional Committee decided: (1) to adopt the amended special procedures to regulate the conduct of hybrid sessions of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific as set out in Annex 1, and; (2) that the said special procedures shall apply to the seventy-third session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific from 24 to 28 October 2022, which will be a hybrid session. First meeting, 24 October 2022 ANNEX SPECIAL PROCEDURES TO REGULATE THE CONDUCT OF HYBRID SESSIONS OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC RULES OF PROCEDURE 1. The Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific shall continue to apply in full, except to the extent that they are inconsistent with these special procedures, in which case the Regional Committee's decision to adopt these special procedures shall operate as a decision to suspend the relevant Rules of Procedure to the extent necessary in accordance with Rule 52 of the Rules of Procedure of Regional Committee for the Western Pacific1. ATTENDANCE AND QUORUM 2. Attendance by Member States, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution will, where possible, be in person for the purposes of the session. Attendance by Member States, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution, or of members of their respective delegations, who, for any reason, cannot be physically present for the purposes of the session, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations as well as non-state actors in official relations, and other observers shall be through a secured access to videoconference or other electronic means allowing representatives to hear other participants and, as appropriate, to address the session remotely. 3. For the avoidance of doubt, virtual attendance of representatives entitled to vote shall be taken into account when calculating the presence of a quorum, except for the purposes of a secret ballot, in which case the quorum shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph 16 below. ADDRESSING THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE 4. Member States, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution wishing to take the floor should signal their wish to speak2. They shall also have the opportunity, if they so wish, to submit individual pre-recorded video statements of no more than three minutes in duration in advance of the opening of the session, by 18 October 2022 at 17:00 (Philippine time). The pre-recorded video statements so submitted will be broadcast at the hybrid session in lieu of a live intervention. In the event that, due to time limitations or connectivity issues, oral statements cannot be delivered on one or more items on the agenda of the Regional Committee session, Member States, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution may submit written statements in one of the official languages of the Committee (i.e. Chinese, English or French) for web-posting in the language of submission.3 Written statements so submitted by Member States, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution will 1 This will affect notably the relevant provisions of the following Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific: - Rules 3 and 3 bis (Credentials and examination of credentials by the Officers of the Regional Committee); - Rule 53 (amendments and additions to the Rules of Procedure) insofar as these Special Procedures may be regarded as additions to the Rules of Procedure and to the extent that Rule 53 requires receipt and consideration of a report thereon by an appropriate sub-committee. 2 Modalities for taking the floor will depend on the platform used for the hybrid session and will be communicated in due course 3 Additional information about the modalities and timing to submit written statements will be provided in due course. be reflected in the report of the Regional Committee session. 5. Invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations as well as non-state actors in official relations, and other observers shall have the opportunity to submit pre-recorded video statements of no more than two minutes in duration in advance of the opening of the session, by 18 October 2022 at 17:00 (Philippine time). The pre- recorded video statements submitted will be posted on the Regional Office's website and may be broadcast at the hybrid session at the discretion of the Chairperson. 6. Invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations as well as non-State actors in official relations, and other observers may also submit written statements relating to one or more of the items on the agenda of the Regional Committee session in one of the official languages of the Committee (i.e. Chinese, English or French) for web-posting, in the language of submission in lieu of a pre-recorded video statement. Written statements so submitted will be listed in the report of the Regional Committee session. 7. Any representative wishing to raise a point of order or exercise a right of reply in relation to an oral or pre-recorded video statement made at the hybrid session of the Regional Committee should signal their intention to do so44• It is understood that, in accordance with well-established practice, any right of reply to an oral statement or a pre-recorded statement shall be exercised orally at the end of the day. REGISTRATION AND CREDENTIALS 8. Online registration will follow normal practice. Additional information is provided in the related invitation letter. 9. The names of representatives, which in the case of Members, Associate Members and areas participating pursuant to Article 47 of the WHO Constitution shall take the form of credentials, shall be communicated electronically to the Regional Director if possible no later than fifteen days before the opening of the Regional Committee. Given the need to facilitate access to the meeting, all credentials and lists of representatives should be submitted electronically. 10. The Chairperson of the seventy-second Regional Committee having assessed, before the opening of the seventy-third session, whether credentials of representatives are in conformity with the requirements of the Rules of Procedure, shall report to the Regional Committee accordingly during the opening with a view to the Regional Committee making a decision thereon. 11. The Chairperson of the seventy-third Regional Committee shall be invited, during the seventy- third session, to assess whether credentials submitted by representatives following the decision of the Regional Committee at the opening of its session are in conformity with the requirements of the Rules of Procedure and shall report to the Regional Committee accordingly with a view to the Regional Committee making a decision thereon. DECISION-MAKING 12. All decisions of the Regional Committees taken in hybrid sessions should, as far as possible, be taken by consensus. 13. In the event of a vote, it is understood that delegates physically present for the purposes of the session are deemed to be duly authorized to speak and vote on behalf of their respective delegations. 4 Modalities for raising points of order and exercising the right of reply will depend on the platform used for the hybrid session and will be communicated in due course. 14. In accordance with Rule 44, in the event that a vote is required, voting shall normally take place by show of hands. Member States of the Region, whose representatives or alternates are not physically present for the purposes of the session, shall be invited by the Chair to use the “raise hand” feature of the videoconferencing platform that was identified for this session, or to clearly show their hand through the video connection. If a Member is represented by both delegates who are physically and virtually present, the delegate who is physically present shall be invited to cast the vote on its behalf. 15. In the event of a roll-call vote, and in line with normal practice, should any delegate, whether physically present or virtually connected, fail to cast a vote for any reason during the roll-call, that delegate shall be called upon a second time after the conclusion of the initial roll-call. Should the delegate fail to cast a vote on the second roll-call, the delegation concerned shall be recorded as absent. 16. In the event that a secret ballot is needed, the vote shall be conducted in person among the Member States that are physically present for the purposes of the session. The quorum applicable to the conduct of the secret ballot shall be calculated on the basis of the Member States that are physically present for the purposes of this session. LANGUAGES 17. For the avoidance of doubt, Rule 22 continues to apply, whereby speeches in either of the working languages shall be interpreted into the other working language and into Chinese; and speeches made in Chinese shall be interpreted into both working languages.