REGIONAL COMMITTEE
Provisional Agenda item 5.2
Sixty-sixth Session SEARO, New Delhi, India 10–13 September 2013
SEA/RC66/18 23 July 2013
Revision to the Rules of Procedure of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia In May 2012, the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, in its decision WHA65(9), endorsed the proposals for enhancing alignment between the Regional Committees and the Executive Board with the intent to strengthen, streamline and improve the methods of work and roles of the governing bodies. The proposals included increasing harmonization across the regional committees in relation to the nomination of Regional Directors, the review of credentials and participation of observers. In September 2012, the Sixty-fifth Regional Committee for South-East Asia adopted resolution SEA/RC65/R1 to align its Rules of Procedure with respect to harmonization of the process of nomination of the Regional Director with those of the other regions. To fully comply with the request of Member States at the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, the Rules of Procedure for the Regional Committee for South-East Asia must be amended, essentially to formalize that which is already in practice in the conduct of Regional Committee meetings in South-East Asia with respect to review of credentials and the participation of observers. The attached working paper provides the proposed amended language to the Rules of Procedure for the Regional Committee of South-East Asia, in alignment with the language adopted previously in four other regions. Included is a draft resolution for consideration by the Regional Committee. The Sixth Meeting of the Subcommittee on Policy and Programme Development and Management (SPPDM), held from 4 to 5 July 2013, reviewed the attached working paper and made the following recommendation: Action by WHO-SEARO (1) WHO country offices to consult with the Ministry of Health before suggesting names of NGOs, partners and civil society organizations.
The working paper and the SPPDM recommendation are submitted to the Sixty-sixth Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration.
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Introduction 1. The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, held in May 2012, endorsed the decision of the Executive Board at its special session in November 2011, to strengthen, streamline, and improve the methods of work and roles of the governing bodies. This included endorsing proposals for increasing harmonization across the regional committees in relation to the nomination of Regional Directors, the review of credentials and participation of observers. 2. The Sixty-fifth Regional Committee for South-East Asia, held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from 5 to 7 September 2012, adopted resolution SEA/RC65/R1 which amended the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia (hereinafter called “Rules of Procedure”) to harmonize the process of nomination of the Regional Director with those of the other regions. 3. To fully comply with the request of Member States at the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, the Rules of Procedure must be amended, essentially to formalize that which is already in practice in the conduct of Regional Committee meetings in South-East Asia with respect to review of credentials and the participation of observers. 4. The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, when considering Document A65/5, decided to endorse the following proposals for increasing harmonization across the regional committees: Decision document WHA65(9) Review of credentials of Member States 5(b) that regional committees that have not yet done so, appoint credentials committees or entrust the task of reviewing credentials to the officers of the regional committee; Participation of observers 5(c) that regional committees that have not yet done so, ensure that there are relevant rules within their Rules of Procedure that enable them to invite observers to attend their sessions, including as appropriate, Member States from other regions, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. 5. In reviewing the existing Rules of Procedure, a revision is warranted based on the following criteria: (1) the practice of the Regional Committee differs from the current provisions of the Rules of Procedure; and (2) the revision is supported by Member States in the context of the ongoing reform process and reflects best practices followed by other regional committees.
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Proposed changes Rule 2. Membership and attendance
In alignment with the Rules of Procedure for WHO Regional Offices for Africa, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, it is proposed to amend the rule with regard to participation by observers in the work of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia as follows: –
“Subject to the terms of any existing agreements, the Committee may arrange for consultation with the respective committees of the United Nations and with those of other specialized agencies and with other regional international organizations having interests in common with the Organization and for their participation, without vote, in its discussions. The Regional Director (hereinafter referred to as “the Director”), in consultation with Member States, may invite States that are not members of the Committee to participate without vote in the sessions of the Committee. The Director, in consultation with Member States , may also invite nongovernmental organizations to participate in the deliberations of the Committee as provided in section 5 of the ‘Principles governing relations between the World Health Organization and nongovernmental organizations’.”
Rule 3. Credentials
In alignment with the Rules of Procedure for WHO Regional Offices for Africa, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, the proposed revision to Rule 3 clarifies which authorities may issue credentials and establishes that the officers of the Regional Committee shall examine submitted credentials. The proposed revision reads as follows: –
“The Members shall communicate to the Director, not less than fifteen days before the date fixed for the opening of the session of the Committee, the names of their representatives, including all alternates and advisers. Similarly, the organizations and States referred to in Rule 2 invited to be represented at the session shall communicate the names of the persons by whom they will be represented. The credentials of representatives and names of alternates, advisers, and observers shall be submitted to the Director if possible not less than one day before the opening of the session of the Committee. Such credentials shall be issued by one of the following: the Head of State, the Head of Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health or any other equivalent authority. Rule 3 bis: The officers of the Committee shall examine the credentials of representatives and report thereon to the Committee. Any representative to whose admission a Member has made objection shall be seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives, until the officers have reported and the Committee has given its decision.”
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6. The existing and proposed text of Rules 2 and 3 of the Rules of Procedure may be found in the Annex 1. The Regional Committee is invited to consider the draft resolution as contained in Annex 2.
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Annex 1 Existing text Rule 2. Membership and attendance Subject to the terms of any existing agreements, the Committee may arrange for consultation with the respective regional committees of the United Nations and with those of other specialized agencies and with other regional international organizations having interests in common with the Organization, and for their participation, without vote, in its discussions and in those of committees or subcommittees convened or established under its authority. Proposed revised text Rule 2. Membership and attendance Subject to the terms of any existing agreements, the Committee may arrange for consultation with the respective regional committees of the United Nations and with those of other specialized agencies and with other regional international organizations having interests in common with the Organization and for their participation, without vote, in its discussions. The Regional Director (hereinafter referred to as “the Director”), in consultation with Member States, may invite States that are not members of the Committee to participate, without vote, in the sessions of the Committee. The Director, in consultation with Member States, may also invite nongovernmental organizations to participate in the deliberations of the Committee as provided in section 5 of the “Principles governing relations between the World Health Organization and nongovernmental organizations”. Rule 3. Credentials The Members shall communicate to the Director, not less than fifteen days before the date fixed for the opening of the session of the Committee, the names of their representatives, including all alternates and advisers. Similarly, the organizations and States referred to in Rule 2 invited to be represented at the session shall communicate the names of the persons by whom they will be represented. The credentials of representatives and names of alternates, advisers, and observers shall be submitted to the Director, if possible, not less than one day before the opening of the session of the Committee. Such credentials shall be issued by one of the following: the Head of State, the Head of Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health or any other equivalent authority. Rule 3 bis: The officers of the Committee shall examine the credentials of representatives and report thereon to the Committee. Any representative to whose admission a Member has made objection shall be seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives, until the officers have reported and the Committee has given its decision.
Rule 3. Credentials The Members shall communicate to the Regional Director (hereinafter referred to as “the Director”), if possible, fifteen days before the date fixed for the opening of the session of the Committee, the names of their representatives, including all alternates, advisers and secretaries. Similarly, the organizations referred to in Rule 2 invited to be represented at the session shall communicate the names of the persons by whom they will be represented. The credentials of representatives shall be delivered to the Director, if possible, not less than one day before the opening of the Committee.
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Annex 2
Draft resolution The Regional Committee is invited to consider the following resolution:
Revision to Rules of Procedure of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia The Regional Committee, Having considered decision WHA65(9), by which the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly decided inter alia that the regional committees should harmonize their practices in relation to the nomination of regional directors, the review of credentials and the participation of observers; and Having considered the report of the Secretariat, 1. DECIDES to amend Rule 2 of its Rules of Procedure concerning participation of observers in the work of the Regional Committee by replacing the text in its entirety with the following: “Subject to the terms of any existing agreements, the Committee may arrange for consultation with the respective regional committees of the United Nations and with those of other specialized agencies and with other regional international organizations having interests in common with the Organization and for their participation, without vote, in its discussions. The Regional Director (hereinafter referred to as “the Director”), in consultation with Member States, may invite States that are not members of the Committee to participate, without vote, in the sessions of the Committee. The Director, in consultation with Member States, may also invite nongovernmental organizations to participate in the deliberations of the Committee as provided in section 5 of the ’P rinciples governing relations between the World Health Organization and nongovernmental organizations’.” 2. DECIDES to replace Rule 3 of its Rules of Procedure with the following text and to add a new Rule 3 bis as provided below: “The Members shall communicate to the Director, not less than fifteen days before the date fixed for the opening of the session of the Committee, the names of their representatives, including all alternates and advisers. Similarly, the organizations and States referred to in Rule 2 invited to be represented at the session shall communicate the names of the persons by whom they will be represented. The credentials of representatives and names of alternates, advisers, and observers shall be submitted to the Director, if possible not less than one day before the opening of the session of the Committee. Such credentials shall be issued by one of the following: the Head of State, the Head of Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health or any other equivalent authority.
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Rule 3 bis. The officers of the Committee shall examine the credentials of representatives and report thereon to the Committee. Any representative to whose admission a Member has made an objection shall be seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives, until the officers have reported and the Committee has given its decision." 3. DECIDES that the foregoing amendments will become effective at the conclusion of the Sixty-sixth Session of the Committee.