I.
UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Regional Seminar on Solar Energy
Niamey, Republic of Niger,
8 -
13 Januar.y1979
DRAPl' CONSTITUTION
Distr.
LIMITED
E/CN.l4/NRD/E/22
14 November 1978 Original: ENGLISH
OF THE SOLAR ENERGY SOCIEl'Y OF AFIlICA
E/CN.14/NRD/E/22
DTIAFI' CONSTITUTION
OF THE SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY OF AFRICA
The National Solar Energy Societies on whose behalf this Constitution is signed,
M.~ of the benefits to be gained by sharing practical experiences, technical and scientific know-how, between and among scientists, engineers and technicians working in various institutions in the African region concerned with solar, wind and biogas energy,
Re~iziE~that these benefits c~~ best be achieved by co-operation among
African countries through the establishment of an African Solar Energy Association~
HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOHS:
AnTICLE 1
There is hereby established a learned Society to be known as the Solar Energy Society of Africa (hereinafter referred to as "the Soc,iet;y") which shall
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ope~ate and be.gov~rned in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
• • ~ ' • • • '_ , , I t
ARTICLE 2
For the purpose of' this Constitution:
- f1S ocietyl7 means the Solar Energy Society of Africa~
- "Councd L" means the Council of the Solar Energy Society of Africtt;
- rtpresidentU means the President of the Solar Energy Society of Africa;
- flSecretaryti means the Secretary of the Solar Energy Society of Africa.
ARTICLE 3
The Society shall have the following objectives:
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(~) to promote the development of solar, wind and biogas energy and their use in Africa;
(£) to provide a forum for discussion and co-operation among scientists, engineers, technicians and associations working on solar energy in Africa;
(Q) to provide information on scientific and technical research and discoveries;
(d) to establish and ,maintain professional standards among scientists, engineers
and
technicians working in the field of solar energyf(~)
to
help to elaborate solar energy programmes in the African continent;'Cf)
to assist African national Governments in the acquisition and training of specialized personnel in the solution of their manpower requirements in the field of solar energy~(g) to publish a liaison bulletin and/or publications in the field of solar, wind and biogas energy development in Africa.
ARTICIE 4
The headquarters
of
the Society shall be at •••••••••••••• in •••••••••••••••••••••••••••~••• (hereinafter referr"'d to as t'the host country").
ARTICLE
5
Membership of the Society will be open to all scientists, engineers, technicians, and to institutions with interest in any aspect of solar'energy in Africa.
ARTICLE 6
1. Any person desirous of becoming a member of the Society shall submit an application form. The Secretary shall, on behalf of the President and with the approval of the Council, admit such c person to membership of the Society.
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2~ Any institution desirous of becoming a member of the Society shall submit an application in writing to the Seoretary. The Secretary shall, on behalf of the Pre sident, and. with the approval of the Council, admit such.,an
institution to membership of the Society.
3•. The.President. may t'Jith the approval of the Council invite an institu- tion to membership of the Society.
ARTICLE 7
Status",
.of
ih~'§ocie~~Ie .. To enable it to achieve its objectives and perform its fUnctions, th~
Society shall possess in the territory of each State member of the Centre juridi- cal personality with legal capacity to acquire and dispose of movable and
immovable property, to enter into contracts, to sue and to be sued.
2. The Society shall enter into an agreement with the Government of the host country concerning the provision of premises, facilitie~services, privileges and immunities deemed necessary for the purposes and efficient discharge of its
functions.
ARTICLE 8
1. Individual membership fee of ~US 20 shall become payable immediately on admission and, thereafter, on the first day of every calendar year.
2. The minimum institutional membership fee shall be GUS 100 ani shall
become payable on admission and. thereafter, on the first day of every calendar year.
ARTICLE 9
A member of the Society may be removed from membership by the Council if his continued membership is not considered to be in the interests of the Society.
In any case, membership shall cease when more than two years, membership fees are owed in arrears.
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4
1. There shall
be
a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and an Editor elected every two years at a general meeting.2. All members of the Council are eligible for re-election for a second period.
ARTICLE 11
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1. The Council of the Society shall consist of the officers of the Society and five other"members elected every two years at a general meeting of the Soc~e~y.
2. The Council shall meet at least once a year.
3. The Council shall make rules and regulations for the proper and efficient conduct of the Society.
ARTICLE 12
1. The President shall be the spokesman of the Society and shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Council. In the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents shall presi1e in the order in which they are elected.
2. The Secretary shall maintain all records of the meetings of the Council and of the Society and a roll"of membership. The Secretary shall in addition to what is laid down in Article 6 of this Constitution"perform'such other functions as are from time to ~ime_assignedto h~m by ~he ~ouncil. r ,
3. The Treasurer shall be responsible to the Council for management of the financial affairs of the Society.
4. The Editor shall be responsible to the Council for ~JUblishingthe Society's bulletin and/or other publications.
ARTICLE 13
1. There shall be a conference of the Society once a year at such a
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place and date to be decided by the general meeting two years in advance for the purpose of ::"aviewing progress on solar, wind and biogns energy use
in Africa, new methods for the promotion of these energies in Africa, the reading of technical papers relevant to Africa and the election of the officers of the Society.
2. The last meeting of the conference shall be a business meeting at which new officers shall be elected.
3. The Council shall IDeet at the beginning and at the end of every
conference and at. such other times as may be decided at a meeting of the Council.
4.
The President, ~t his discretion, may at any time call a special meeting of the Oouncdl ,ARTICLE 14
1. The financial resources of the Society shall consist of membership fees paid by individual members and institutions; assistance, aid, gifts, loans.
bequests or grants from Governments, financial institutions, international organizations, individuals, proceeds of sales of the publications of the Society; fees and other charges levied by the Society ,rendered under the provisions of this Constitution.
2. Subject to, such financial regulations as the Council. may make, th~ bUdget of the Society shall be administered by the Treasurer under the, President of the Society.
ARTICLE
15
The Council shall at its meeting at the end of a conference authorize the establishment of an organizing committee on science consisting of a Chairman, a Secretary and at least seven other persons for the purpose of organizing the next conferenoe.
ARTICLE 16
The Council may from time to time make rules and regulations for the proper conduct of its business and for the smooth running of the Society in general.
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ARTICLE 17
The quorum of the Council shall be five. The quorum at the last meeting of a conference" for the purpose of business and election of officers shall be 12 or one third of the membership, whichever is less.
ARTICIE 18
".;·The Society mayan the recommendation of ·the Councilor another committee set up for the purpose, confer honours on any of its members or other persons for meritorious service to solar energy in Africa. The title or citation for' the purpose of such an award shall be subject to the approval of the Council.
ARTICLE 19
fu~]j..c.~.tJon~
1. The proceedings of thi?- conference of .the So~arEnergy Society of Africa shall be published at the end of each oonference by the Editor assisted by an editorial board appointed by the Council.
2. The format of the publication of the proceedings shall conform to that laid down by the Council.
3. The Council may authorize other oco~sional OT regular publications, and may decide on the title, format and periodicity of such' publications.
ARTICLE 20
1. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the genera.l meeting.
2. No proposed amendment to this Constitution shall be considered by the general meeting unless it shall have been notified to all members of the Society three months prior to such consideration.
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.14/NRD/E/22
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ARTICLE 21
1. This Constitution, of which the English and French texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Executive Secretar,y of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
2. This Constitution shall enter into force when signed by ••••••••••••
of the persons or institutions mentioned in Article
5
of this Constitution and shall be open for signature at the office of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.IN 'HITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Constitution on the dates appearing under their signatures:
