FORWARD

The speakers or presiding officers of the following Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World assembled in Rabat, Morocco on 6 and 7 June 2002:

i) The National Council of the Provinces of South Africa
ii) The Council of the Nation of Algeria
iii) The House of Chiefs of Botswana
iv) The House of the Federation of Ethiopia
v) The Senate of Gabon
vi) The Senate of Jordan
vii) The Senate of Lesotho
viii) The House of Counsellors of Morocco
ix) The Senate of Mauritania
x) The National Council of Namibia
xi) The Senate of Nigeria
xii) The Senate of Swaziland
xiii) The Shoora Council of Yemen

- Noting with satisfaction the spread of the bicameral parliamentary system in Africa and the Arab World, and the desire of numerous states to adopt this system in the near future;

- Aware of the importance of sharing in the common values of democracy and the rule of law;

- Keen to see these Assemblies play an active role in strengthening ties of cooperation between Arab and African states in the field of respecting cultural diversity, and contribute to the promotion of the role of the Second Chambers in enhancing democracy;

- Looking forward to strengthening the position of African and Arab states in the course of the accelerating changes which the world is witnessing in different spheres and complying with the logic of unity and conglomeration imposed by the rise of the tempo of globalisation;

- Seriously desirous to play a more effective role in the international efforts aimed at the elimination of all causes of tension and violence, and to contribute to the establishment of security and peace in Africa, the Middle East and the rest of the World;

- Aspiring to the strengthening of the efforts to fight against poverty, famine and underdevelopment in all its forms and the reinforcement of the role of women in the achievements of global and durable development for all people;

Agreed on this day 7th June 2002 to pursue the establishment of a body to be known as the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA) and resolved to adopt the following statute:
 

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association is open to all African and Arab Senates and Second Chambers that ask for participation as full members.
This Association also welcomes non-African and non-Arab similar Assemblies as well as parliamentary organizations to take part in its works as observers.

OBJECTIVES

The foremost objective of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World is to strengthen parliamentary bicameral systems, to reinforce economic, political and cultural cooperation and security among the peoples it represents, to support and join Arab, African and International parliamentary efforts, and to contribute to the parliamentary activities of the Arab, African and International Parliamentary Unions and engage in the dialogues emanating from them with the purpose of supporting these efforts to achieve the objectives of the Association.

PARLIAMENTARY STUDIES

The Association of Senates/Second Chambers in Africa and the Arab World shall:
- Organize for its members at least one annual meeting on subjects of common interest;
- Carry out joint studies, facilitate cooperation among parliamentary administrations by exchange of training and experience;
- Set up, upon a proposal from one of its members, an ad hoc group composed of speakers and presiding officers of Assemblies or their representatives to make a specific parliamentary study.

DETERMINATION OF ISSUES

The Association determines the issues under discussion by consensus, or by the majority of two-thirds of its Members.

MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. The Association shall hold its annual meetings in one of the member countries according to alphabetical order, otherwise in a member country, which offers to host the meeting.
2. Until the next meeting of the Association is convened, the Speaker or Presiding Officer of the hosting Assembly undertakes the task of coordination among the different member Assemblies.
3. An extraordinary meeting shall be held upon the request of one of the Presiding Officers and on the approval of two-third majority. Such a meeting is to be held in the country of the initiating presiding officer.

AGENDA

1. The Agenda of the Association’s meeting shall be adopted upon a proposal from the host country.
2. The Member Assemblies shall be informed of the date and Agenda of the ordinary meeting of the Association at least two months before the meeting.
3. The Date and Agenda of the extraordinary meeting shall reach all member countries at least, one month before the meeting.
4. In both cases the working documents shall be circulated two weeks before the date of the meeting.

MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS

The Board of the Conference is composed of the Chairperson of the host country, the Chairperson of the former conference, the Chairperson hosting the coming conference and the Secretariat of the Association.
At the end of every meeting of the Association, the Secretariat shall prepare a summary of the deliberations and circulate it among the Association’s Member Assemblies.

MEETING LANGUAGES

Arabic, French and English shall be considered as the Association’s languages. The hosting Assembly shall provide simultaneous interpretation from and to these languages.

AMENDMENTS

1. These Statues may be amended upon a proposal made by a Speaker or Presiding Officer of a Member Assembly. The proposal for amendments shall be presented at the General Meeting of the Association to be adopted by consensus.
2. The President of the Association shall notify all the Member Assemblies of every proposal for amendment.