General Secretariat

22 June 2008

A Meeting of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Africa and the Arab World, organized by the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World will hold in Cape Town, South Africa from the 25^th to the 27^th of October 2008.

This conference will, among other opportunities, afford participants the forum to deliberate and establish a strong process of economic cooperation to enhance inter-trade activities and create market expansion for productivity and reveal investment opportunities to enable the Countries of the two regions form a strong trade bloc in view of the current World economic order which has forced even the developed economies to form regional trade groupings.

All Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other Business Organizations in the African and Arab Countries are invited to attend the meeting. All enquiries about the meeting should be directed to:

The General Secretariat

Association of Senates,

Shoora and Equivalent Councils

in Africa and the Arab World

Sana’a, Yemen.

info@assecaa.org

ASSECAA@y.net.ye

Phone Numbers: 00967 1 223309

                                   223282

                                   223286

Fax:                 00967 1 223372

Management

The  3^rd   Council   Meeting  and  the  Second   annual  conference  of  the Association  of  Senates, Shoora, and  Equivalent  Councils  in Africa and Arab  World (ASSECAA) will hold in  Sana'a, Republic of Yemen,  from 7^th  to  9^th of  May, 2007.  The Council  Meeting  is  scheduled  for  the 7^th while  the conference  will  hold  from  8^th – 9^th  May, 2007.

 Member  Councils/Senates  are requested to send the composition of their  delegations to the  Secretariat in order to  facilitate  reception  and logistic arrangements.  Heads of  Councils  are  requested to lead their delegations to enable the conference  to finalize deliberations  on the issues before the conference.

 Agenda:

a.   Presentation and  consideration of the Secretary-General's Report

b.   Meeting of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Africa and the Arab world

c.   Students Exchange Programme

d.   Relationship with Sister Organizations

e.   Peace Initiatives in the Regions of Africa and Arab world

f.    Study Visit Exchange Programme

g.   Members' Retreat

h.  Workshop for Administrative Heads of Member Councils.

i.   Secretariat's Budget for 2007 and 2008.

j.   Any Other Business

Rotation of Conference Venue

General  Secretariat

Sana'a, Yemen

The Association plans to undertake several activities and programmes aimed at strengthening cooperation among its members and to share experiences and rub minds on parliamentary activities of member Councils.
The following activities outlined by the Secretariat of the Association, in 2006, were approved by the meeting of the Council of the Association held in Sana'a from 9th to 10th of November 2005:

a)STUDY VISIT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME FOR 2006 

First quarter of the year – (January - March)
In furtherance of Article 3(3) and 3(7) of the Association’s Rules of Procedure, we propose, for the distinguished Council’s consideration, a scheme for a study Visit Exchange Programme among the member Councils of the Association.

It is proposed that each delegation will spend three days with the host Assembly.  The delegation should be able to watch the host Council in a session and meet with the following Committees of the Council (Senate):

(a)  Public Accounts Committee

(b) Committee on Foreign Affairs

(c)  Committee on Agriculture

(d) Committee on Education

(e)  Committee on Defence

(f)   Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Women Affairs

(g)  Committee on Economic Development

Arrangements should also be made for the visiting groups to meet with the Departments/Ministries in charge of the functions overseen by the Committees mentioned in paragraph 2.  It would also be beneficial if the delegation could visit places of interest (tourist attraction) in the host country.  It is recommended that not more than four (4) Senators/Council Members should be in the delegation in this first phase.

Accordingly, the following fixtures are recommended for the Council’s consideration:

(b) Retreat for Members:

Second quarter of the year - (April – June)

The purpose of the retreat is to bring Members together in a relaxed environment where, with the collaboration of experts in parliamentary studies and international relations, the Members will review their activities, attitudes, privileges and obligations as Statesmen and Parliamentarians at the apex level, in respect of national policy process. It will also be possible for Members to discuss the contribution of Parliaments to nation building, human rights and the constraints on socio-economic, political and cultural development of Africa and the Arab nations.
The retreat will be enjoined to deliberate on the practice and progress of democracy in the region and in conclusion seek ways to consolidate the position of ASSECAA as the voice of Africa and the Arab World during inter-regional dialogues and at the world Parliamentary forums.

(c) Workshop for Administrative Heads of Member Senates and Councils:
Third quarter of the year - (July - September)

The purpose of the workshop is to bring together the Heads of Administration in the member Senates and Councils to enable them to share experiences, expertise and enrich their working knowledge in the processing of legislative instruments and usages. The facilitators will lead the workshop to reflect deeply on the contribution of efficient administrative machinery and research to political leadership and the independence of the legislature.
 

Dates and venue for the Association's Conference and Council meeting for 2006-2007-2008:

The Council of the Association approved in its last meeting held in Sana'a, Yemen from 9th -10th of November 2005 that the Association's conference for 2006 be held in Bahrain, in South Africa in 2007 and in Nigeria in 2008 according to the bidding of these member Councils to host the Association's Conference and Council Meeting for 2006-2007-2008.

Retreat

The 2006 Retreat of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab world will take place in Abuja, the capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 5th to 6th June 2006.
Member Senates/Councils are requested to send the composition of their delegations to the Secretariat for onward transmission to the host country. This will facilitate reception, accommodation and logistics arrangements by the host country.

STUDY VISIT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME FOR 2006

In furtherance of Article 3(3) and 3(7) of the Association’s Rules of Procedure, we propose, for the distinguished Council’s consideration, a scheme for a study Visit Exchange Programme among the member Councils of the Association.

It is proposed that each delegation will spend three days with the host Assembly.  The delegation should be able to watch the host Council in a session and meet with the following Committees of the Council (Senate):

(a)  Public Accounts Committee

(b) Committee on Foreign Affairs

(c)  Committee on Agriculture

(d) Committee on Education

(e)  Committee on Defence

(f)   Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Women Affairs

(g)  Committee on Economic Development

Arrangements should also be made for the visiting groups to meet with the Departments/Ministries in charge of the functions overseen by the Committees mentioned in paragraph 2.  It would also be beneficial if the delegation could visit places of interest (tourist attraction) in the host country.  It is recommended that not more than four (4) Senators/Council Members should be in the delegation in this first phase.

Accordingly, the following fixtures are recommended for the Council’s consideration: