Draft consitution of the African economic association

o

INITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Distr. LIMITED

E/ECA/AFE&/90/2

12 December 1989 Oriqinal: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOP AFRICA

African Economic Association Inaugural Conference and Scientific Colloquium

Addis Ababa, 15 19 January 1990

DRAFT CONSTITUTION OF THE AFRICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION

E/ECiVAFEA/90/;

DRAFT CONSTITUTION OF THE AFRICA ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION TITLE I

OBJECTIVES 7>.ND MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLE 1:

Name

The African Economic Association (AFEA) , hereinafter called the "Association",

is an association of individual and institutional members.

ARTICLE 2:

General Disposition

The headquarters of the Association shnll be provisionally locr.ted within the Secretariat of the United Vlations Economic commission for

Africa, Socio-Economic Research and Planning Division, in Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia. The Association's headquarters may later be transfered by a majority decision of the General Assembly of the Association to another city in an African country.

ARTICLE 3:

Objectives

The objectives of the Association shall bo:

(i) To promote the development of both pure and applied economics in the African region;

(ii) To promote methodological and substantive research in the fields of

economic science and other related disciplines;

(iii) To ensure the nore effective contribution of the economic science and enhance its usefulness, particularly to administration, academic institution, policy formulation, development planning and research;

(iv) To provide the opportunity for the exchange of information ideas and

experiences among economists and others interested in African socio-

economic problems and development;

(v) To foster the professional status of economists and assist in the

trainino of African economists;

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(vi) To encourage the establishment and promotion of national and sub-

regional economic associations;

(vii) To establish and maintain links with national, sub-regional and

international economic associations

(viii) To organize conferences and publish scientific information dealing

with socio-economic development

ARTICLE 4:

Membership

The Association shall be composed of national and sub-rcoional economic associations, corporate and institutional, individual and associate mergers as well as fellows.

National Associations

Economic associations constituted at African national levels.

Sub-regional Associations

Economic associations constituted at African sub-regional levels- by a group of national economic associations and individual economists.

Corporate and Institutional Menbers

Organizations such as socio-economic research institutions, unversities, financial institutions, as well as national and international economic and dovolopir_onb caGncics operating in Africr_.

Individual Members

Professional African economists and others who are making contributions to the scientific study of African socio-economic problems and solutions through their researches, writtings, teaching or other activities.

Associate members

Professional non-African economists and others who are contributing to the scientific study of African socio-economic problems and solutions through their researches, writtings, teaching, or other activities.

Fellows

Persons of outstanding distinction in the fields of economic and other socio-economic development sciences and endeavours, may be admitted as

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ARTICLE 5:

Subscriptions

National Associations __ US$150

Sub-regional Association US$250

Individual Members __ US? 30

Corporate and Institutional Members __. US$100

Associate :ierabers , us-*> ->Q

The subscription rates shall be subject to reviev:, from time to tine, by the Executive Council and approved by the General Assembly

ARTICLE 6:

Termination of ilembership

Membership nay be terminated by:

Resignation/withdrawal

Death/Dissolution of the Institution.

Non-payment of dues for a specified period of a year fixed by the Council, or Gxplusion by decision of the General Assembly by absolute

majority of nembers, or institutional change.

TITLE II

ORGANIZATION AND POWERS

ARTICLE 7:

Organs:

The organs of the Association shall comprise

The General Asscnbly The Executive Council

The Secretariat.

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ARTICLE 8:

Thy General Assembly

The General Assembly of the Association shall be constituted by national and sub-regional economic associations, corporate and institutional, individual and rssoci-ater as well as Fellows who are nerr.bers and

convened oy the: Secretary-General of tlu. Association after consultation with the President or as provided for in. tho :<ulos of Procedure of the Association. The- General Assembly shall approve the conera.1 policies and recommendations of the Council for implementation by the Executive Committee„ The General Assembly shall be hold once every two ye^rs.

Extra-ordinary sessions of the General Acsor.:b?y nay be convened on the initiative of the.Council or if a group of at least 50 per cent of the members so request. The procedure for convening such meetings shall be as specified in the Rules of Procedure.

ARTICLE 9:

The Executive Council

The affairs of the Association shall be directed by an Executive Council. Ths Council, shall comprise;

The President

Th-o President-elect

Five Vice-Presidents (one representing each of the five African sub-regions: North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa,, and Southern Africa) .

The Secretary-General

The Assistant Secretary-General

The Editor-in-Chief of thf; Journal of the r f rican Economic Association.

Five unofficial ner-bers, each representing one of the five subrer.'ions.

The Association shall be represented by its President or his representative In the absence of the President, the President elect shall of right

assume all the functions of the President.

The Council will neet once a year, to review the activities of the Association. Formulate the work prograrnme and approve the budget

for the two following years.

Extra-ordinary sessions of the Council may be convened by the President

to examine urgent questions relating to the Association.

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In particular, the Executive Council shall be responsible for:

(i) The implementation of the work programme of the Association.

(ii) Determining to working procedures cf the various services of the .Association.

(iii) Preparing the budget for the Association and submitting- it to the General Assembly.

(iv) Determining the provisional aaenda for the Council and General Assembly meetings,

(v) Taking such actions as are appropriate and necessary for the proper functioning of the Association.

The Executive Council will meet once a year. Extraordinary sessions may be convened as required.

ARTICLE 1C:

The Secretariat

The day to day activities of the Association shall be carried out by the secretariat headed by the Secretary-General assisted by sn Assistant Secretary-General, both of whom shall be elected by the

General assembly of the Association, The composition of the secretariat will be determined by thn Council, until the finances of the association permit the recruitment of full-time or part-time staff for the Administra tive and Financial Secretariat, the Socio-economic Research and Planning Division of the ECA Secretariat will carry out the functions of the secretariat.

ARTICLE 11:

The Editorial ro.ird

The day to day activities of the Association- as far as publications are concerned, shall be headed by the Editor-in-Chief, assisted by five Associate Editors, each of whom represent one of the five sub-regions of Africa. The Council may coopt any suitable member or non-nenber of the Association to be on the Editorial Board; as necessary.

ARTICLE 12:

The Auditors

The accounts of the Association shall be audited annually by ths auditors appointed by the General Assembly as specified in the Rules of Procedure.

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ARTICLE 13:

Tenure of Office

The tenure of office within the Council shall ho as follows:

Presidents The tenure of the office of the President shall be two years.

President-elect: The President-elect shall serve in the

capacity for ^ period of two years after which he shall automatically become President. ?, new President

elect shall be elected. The President-elect shall not come from the same sub-region as the President.

Vice-President: The tenure of office of the Vice-president shall be two years.

Secretary-General, Editor-in-Chief and other members of the Board:

The tones of office of the Secretary-General* the

Editor-in-Chief and other menbers of ttv- Council shall be four years to ensure stability.

Except for the President and President-elect, members' of the Council may be re-elected- provided that they do not hold the same office for more than three consecutive terms.

The Council shall have the power to fill any vacancies on the Council that may be re-elected, provided that they 6.0 rot hold the same office for more than two consecutive terrs.

The Council shall have the power to fill rmy vacancies on the Council that may r.rise during its tern of office.

ARTICLE 14:

Elections

elections of members of the Council and other officials of the Association shall be held at the Association General Assembly. Candidates shall be nominated by voting members in the manner prescribed in the Rules of Procedure. However, the Council may nominate candidates in the .absence of other nominations. Election shall be by a simple majority of votes cast. Those to be elected rcust be voting members of the Association.

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ARTICLE 15:

Rules of Procedure

The Pules of Procedure of the Association are attached to the present Constitution. The Council may from tine to tiine propose amendments thereto and apply such amendments provisionally between sessions of the ordinary General Assembly.

The Rules of Procedure and amendments thereto shall be submitted for the approval of the General Assembly.

ARTICLE 16:

Working Languages

The working languages of the Association shall be English, French, Arabic and Portuguese.

TITLE III

RESOURCES AND EXPENDITURES

ARTICLE 17:

Resources

The resources of the Association shall comprise:

Subscriptions

Proceeds frora the Association's activities, and

- Subsidies/ gifts and other resources accepted by the Council.

ARTICLE 18:

Expenditures

Expenditures shall be authorized by the President,

The Secretary-General shall keep accounts of receipts and expenditures.

Such accounts shall be placed at the disposal of the auditors and the members of the Council. .Any uembers of the Association may inspect the accounting records of the Association.

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TITLE IV

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ARTICLE 19;

Board of Trustees

The Association shall have a board of trustees to act as patrons of the Association. The Board shall consist of the following members:

The UNECA Ixecutive Secretary, The OAU Secretary-General, The ADB President, :.'he u"D? Regional Director for 7,frica and Three other

members selected by the General Assembly.

TITLF. V

A.<END:'ENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE AND DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE 20:

Amendments to Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure may be proposed

either by the Council or by no less than Iiwolve merrbers provided that their proposals are dispatched in time to reach the Council at least 90

days before the date fired for an ordinary General Assembly. such

proposals must be brought to the notice of the members of the Association

by a communication from the Council despatched at least 60 days before the date fixed for the meeting. Proposals receiving a two-thirds majority

of the votes cact shall be adopted.

ARTICLE 21:

Affiliation

The Association niay nake necessary arrangements for affiliation with any International Association of the Economists, T* scientific organization which consists mainly of individual members and does not exist for profit may become affiliated to the Association upon approval by the Council if

it substantially furthers the objectives of the Association and is either

a national, subregional or international organization in the African region or a national- sub-regional or international organization outside Africa but which is devoted primary to the improveront of African political

economy.

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ARTICLE 22:

Dissolution

The dissolution of the Association may be decided by the General Assembly for reasons of expendency. In that event, the property, funds and records of the Association shall be assigned tc any other similar

scientific association designated by nan-3 in the decision, which agrees

to accept such responsibility. Such assignment rcust be made within the

three months following dissolution of the Association.

The activities, assets and liabilities of the Association shall at all

tines be separated fron those of the office or organization in which its

headquarters is located.