FAO Conference resolutions

Resolution

1/2021

Special procedures

at the 42nd session of the Conference

THE CONFERENCE

Considering

the current circumstances and associated limitations caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic;

Reaffirming

that the procedures of the

Conference

are governed by the provisions of the FAO Basic Texts, including the General Rules of the Organization (GROs);

Recalling

the provisions of the General Rules of the Organization (GRO), in particular Rule I, Rule XII and Rule XLIX;

Reaffirming

also that the

Conference

shall, as a rule and in accordance with established practice, always meet in person, and

recognizing

that exceptional suspension of this practice shall be made only in the most extraordinary circumstances and for as limited a time period as possible;

Recalling

also the decision 74/557 adopted by the

UN General Assembly

, “Procedure for holding elections by secret ballot without a plenary meeting during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic”;

Recalling

further that the Council, at its 166th session, agreed, pursuant to Rule I.1 of the GRO to hold the 42nd Session of the

Conference

from 14 to 18 June 2021 in virtual modality, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and recommended, inter alia:

(i)

approval by the

Conference

at its 42nd Session of special procedures to be applied on an exceptional basis, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the virtual modality of the Conference; and

(ii)

that the

Conference

consider for approval, for implementation at its 42nd Session and on an exceptional basis, without setting a precedent, and as a one-time arrangement, either in-person voting through a physical secret ballot by appointment, online voting through an electronic voting system, or a hybrid of the in-person and online vote;

Recalling

further that the Council also requested the Secretariat continue its preparations of the option which conforms with the Basic Texts, as set out in Rule XII;

Recalling

the importance of upholding inclusiveness and ensuring all Member States can exercise their vote;

THE CONFERENCE:

Confirmed

that the Council agreed to hold the 42nd Session of the

Conference

in virtual modality, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;

Decided

, in accordance with Rule XLIX, to suspend, on an exceptional basis, without creating a precedent and as a one-time arrangement for the 42nd Conference, the portions of the General Rules of the Organization insofar as any elements are incompatible with the virtual setting of the 42nd

Conference

or with the holding of secret ballot voting arrangements as laid out in paragraphs 4 and 5 of this resolution;

Further

approved

the special procedures and voting arrangements set out in the present decision, on an exceptional basis, without creating a precedent and as a one-time arrangement for the 42nd Session of the Conference held in virtual format;

Decided

to conduct secret ballot votes by in-person voting by staggered appointment at FAO headquarters in

Rome

and the United Nations headquarters in

New York

, recalling that no delegate may represent more than one Member Nation or Associate Member and that each Member Nation shall have only one vote, in accordance with Articles III.1 and III.4 of the Constitution;

Decided

further, for the conduct of a secret ballot, that:

The procedures under Rule XII-10 paragraphs (a), (d), (e), (f) and (g) shall be conducted by staggered appointment at one of the two locations, which are in FAO headquarters (Atrium) and the United Nations headquarters (Conference room(s) C);

ii.

For the purpose of Rule XII-10 (g), the count of the votes in

Rome

will be carried out in the Iraq Room at FAO headquarters, in

New York

vote counting will be carried out in the voting room, and in both locations will be supervised through the presence of tellers, and scrutineers, as well as by video-link from the FAO headquarters;

iii.

The result of the ballot shall be established on the basis of the sum of the votes deposited from the two locations and recorded in writing by the tellers in both locations; the tellers in FAO headquarters shall be responsible for the consolidation of the total number of votes deposited and the certification of the result.

iv.

The two tellers appointed in each location,

Rome

and

New York

, shall be delegates, representatives or alternates of the same two delegations, pursuant to Rule XII-10 (c).

Decides

that votes other than by secret ballot shall be taken by roll call, noting that a roll call would proceed in alphabetical order in English, starting with the letter “A”.

Also

decides

that the Secretariat shall, as part of its intergovernmental services and within existing resources, provide technical support and assistance upon request by Member Nations to ensure the full and equal access by all Members to the procedure outlined in the present resolution.

Adopted on

18 June 2021

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