FAO Conference resolutions

RESOLUTION

No.

41/63

Asia and the Far East

Commission

on Agricultural

Statistics

THE CONFERENCE

Having considered

Recommendation No. B5 of the Sixth FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Far East by which the Regional Conference requested the

Director-General

to examine the feasibility of setting up suitable machinery for assisting countries in developing their systems of agricultural statistics and food consumption surveys,

Recognizing

the need of the countries of Asia and the Far East to develop their agricultural statistics and that these countries are facing broadly similar problems in the field of agricultural statistics and would therefore profit by the regular exchange of information and experience, and

Appreciating

the need for some standing machinery whereby the problems encountered in the region's agricultural statistics could be regularly reviewed and studied and believing that such machinery would also contribute to co-operation and co-ordination of activities In the field of agricultural statistics in the region,

Hereby

establishes

under Article VI, paragraph I of the Constitution of the Organization, a regional commission to be known as the

Asia and the Far East Commission on Agricultural Statistics

, the statutes of which shall be as follows:

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the

Asia and the Far East Commission on Agricultural Statistics

shall be open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO whose territories are situated wholly or partly in the region concerned as defined by the Organization or who are responsible for the international relations of any non self-governing territories in that region. Membership shall comprise such eligible nations as have notified the

Director-General of the Organization

of their desire to be considered as members.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The terms of reference of the Asia and the Far East Commission on Agricultural Statistics shall be to review the state of food and agricultural statistics in the region and advise member countries on the development and standardization of agricultural statistics within the general framework of FAO's work in statistics, and to convene study groups or other subsidiary bodies of national experts required for this purpose. The terms of reference shall include in particular:

(a)

the formulation of the program of work of the Commission in relation to the promotion and development of' food and agricultural statistics inch/ding periodical agricultural censuses and food consumption surveys, and continuous surveys and controlled experiments for current information, trade in food and agricultural products and requisites;

(b)

the setting up of a scheme of priorities taking into consideration both the immediate requirements and the long-term development of agricultural statistics on a sound and permanent basis;

(c)

working out a minimum program for current agricultural statistics;

(d)

the formulation of recommendations regarding measures to be adopted by member countries for:

the standardization of concepts, definitions and methodology of food and agricultural statistics,

ii.

the co-ordination of food and agricultural statistics as to their coverage, accuracy, timeliness and comparability,

iii.

planning short- and long-term training programs in statistics at all levels,

iv.

organizing research on statistical problems of common interest to countries in the region;

(e)

the formulation of recommendations regarding ways and means in which FAO could assist countries in the development of' food and agricultural statistics including such measures as the organization of training centers and seminars; the promotion of fellowships; the provision of technical assistance through experts and regional statistical advisers; the promotion of research in statistical problems under local conditions;

(f)

the consideration of problems referred to the Commission by the

FAO Conference

and

Council

and FAO regional conferences and the preparation of suitable reports including relevant recommendations;

(g)

the organization of technical discussions between national experts on specific statistical problems related to the program of work of' the Commission by convening working groups whose detailed terms of reference are to be worked out by the Commission;

(h)

the compilation of data from member countries in relation to the program of work of the Commission and its working groups;

(i)

the preparation of a summary report to the

Director-General

for presentation to the FAO Conference or Council incorporating the main recommendations of the Commission particularly those on policy matters which require

Conference

Council

action.

OBSERVERS

Any Member Nation of the Organization and any Associate Member that is not a member of the Commission but has a special interest in the work of the Commission, may, upon request communicated to the Director-General of the Organization, attend as observer, sessions of the Commission and of its subsidiary bodies and ad hoc meetings.

Nations which while not Member Nations or Associate Members of the Organization are Members of the United Nations, may, upon their request and with the approval of the Council of the Organization granted upon the recommendations of the Commission, be invited to attend in an observer capacity the sessions of the Commission, in accordance with the provisions relating to the granting of observer status to nations adopted by the Conference of the Organization.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Participation of international organizations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organizations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the General Rules of the Organization as well as by the rules on relations with international organizations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organization. All such relations shall be dealt with by the Director-General of the Organization.

SESSIONS

The Commission shall hold at least one session every two years. The sessions of the Commission shall be convened and the place where they are to be held shall be determined by the Director-General of the Organization after consultation with the competent authorities of the host country, taking into consideration the recommendation of the Commission on the subject.

REPORTS

The Commission shall report and make recommendations to the Council or the Conference through he Director-General of the Organization, it being understood that copies of its reports, including any conclusions and recommendations, will be circulated to interested Member Governments and international organizations for their information as soon as they become available.

Recommendations having policy, program or financial implications for the Organization shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference or Council of the Organization for appropriate action.

Subject to the provision of the preceding paragraph, the Director-General of the Organization may request members of the Commission to supply the Commission with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission.

SUBSIDIARY BODIES

10.

The Commission may establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary for the accomplishment of its task, subject to the availability of the necessary funds in the relevant chapter of the approved budget of the Organization: the determination of such availability shall be made by the Director-General. Before taking any decision involving expenditure in connection with the establishment of subsidiary bodies, the Commission must have before it a report from the Director-General on the administrative and financial implications thereof.

11.

The terms of reference and reporting procedure of the subsidiary bodies shall be determined by the Commission.

EXPENSES

12.

Expenses incurred by representatives of members of the Commission and of the observers while attending sessions of the Commission shall be borne by the respective governments or organizations.

LANGUAGES

13.

English and French shall be the working languages of the Commission. Any representative using any other language than one of the working languages shall provide interpretation into one of the working languages.

RULES OF PROCEDURE

14.

The Commission may adopt and amend its own Rules of Procedure which shall be in conformity with the Constitution and the General Rules of the Organization and with the statement of principles governing commissions and committees adopted by the Conference. The Rules of Procedure and amendments hereto shall come into force upon approval by the Director-General subject to confirmation by the Council or Conference.

(Adopted

3/12/63

)

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