Report of the Secretariat. He started by reporting that fundraising remains one of the main activities of the Secretariat and that since 2009, the Secretariat had accrued a total of over 1.5 million Euros in the form of voluntary contributions. Amongst others, he highlighted the cooperation agreement, established with the RWE Xxxxx-Xxxx Netzservice GmbH (RWE RR NSG), a daughter company of the Rheinisch-Westfälisches Elektrizitätswerk (RWE), one of the largest energy companies in Europe. This represents the first cooperation of this kind with the private sector and he hoped that it could be an example for further partnerships of this kind in future.
Report of the Secretariat on Finance and Administrative Issues, due to the heavy workload of the Administrative and Fund Management Unit. The report gave an overview of core budget income and expenditure, as well as an overview of voluntary contributions received between November 2015 and December 2016.
Report of the Secretariat. At the invitation of the Chair, the representatives of the interim secretariat gave brief accounts of the work of that secretariat over the years 1996 to 1999, and introduced document reference number AEWA/MOP.1.5, containing a complete report of the secretariat’s work for that period. It was recalled that the Agreement was to enter into force only after seven European Parties and seven African Parties had signed and ratified the Agreement; that had been achieved by the end of August 1999 and the Agreement had entered into force on 1 November 1999.
Report of the Secretariat. 4.1.1 The Executive Secretary reported on the operation of the Secretariat since the last Meeting of the Parties (MoP4 Doc 08). The work of the Secretariat is currently performed by two full-time positions, with the support of consultants and contractors who perform fixed tasks on a needs basis e.g. translations and interpretation, maintenance of the Agreement’s website and the provision of technical support. Further support is provided by secondments and volunteers undertaking project type activities.
4.1.2 The Executive Secretary advised the meeting that Mr Xxxxx Xxxxx’x contract for the provision of Technical Support had finished and that a selected tender exercise was currently being undertaken for a replacement service provider. Appreciation was expressed for the valuable contribution Xx Xxxxx had made to the Agreement’s work in this capacity.
4.1.3 It was noted that MoP3 agreed to the engagement of the Science Officer on a full-time basis for a four-year fixed term, which will conclude in 2013. In the period since MoP3, the Science Officer had overseen the development and implementation of a new database and web-based operating system for the submission of Parties’ implementation reports, and had provided critical support for the Advisory Committee’s Working Groups. As the loss of this position would seriously undermine the work of both the Secretariat and the Advisory Committee, MoP4 was requested to give consideration to making this an on-going position.
4.1.4 The Meeting of the Parties noted the considerable outcomes achieved by Xx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx in this position over the past triennium and decided that her appointment should be changed from a fixed term contractual position to an ongoing full-time position.
4.1.5 It was also noted that the current contract for the Executive Secretary would finish in May 2013 and that consideration was required on whether the Parties wished to extend this contract for a further four years, or to re- advertise the position. The Meeting of the Parties decided by acclamation to re-appoint Xx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx to the position of Executive Secretary for a second four year term in accordance with Staff Regulation 6.3(e).
4.1.6 The Executive Secretary recalled that at MoP3 Parties decided to establish a list of legal experts from Governments that might be called upon purely in their legal expert capacity as an ad-hoc group of experts to address matters of a legal nature. Parties were asked to review their current nominati...
Report of the Secretariat. 4.1.1 The Executive Secretary reported on the operation of the Secretariat since the last Meeting of the Parties (MoP6 Doc 09). The work of the Secretariat is currently performed by two full-time positions, with the support of Xx Xxxx Xxxxxx as an Information Officer in an honorary capacity, as well as consultants and contractors who perform fixed tasks as needed e.g. translations and interpretation, maintenance of the Agreement’s website and the provision of technical support. Further support is provided by secondments, interns and volunteers undertaking project-type activities.
4.1.2 Parties noted that the majority of the Secretariat tasks planned for the 2016 - 2018 triennium have been completed, or were nearly-completed. These tasks included a number of activities in the following broad categories: providing support for the Advisory Committee meetings and Work Programme, developing and maintaining arrangements with other International Organisations, representing the Agreement at meetings of other organisations, encouraging accession of new Parties, and soliciting and managing external funds from Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) to support priority aspects of the Advisory Committee’s Work Programme.
4.1.3 The Executive Secretary introduced MoP6 Doc 23 on the implementation of Resolution 2.
Report of the Secretariat. He proceeded to explain that, due to the growing team, the work of the Secretariat is now divided up into 4 sections; Xxxx Xxxxxx is responsible for general management, Xxxxxxx Xxxx for information management, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx for implementation and compliance and Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx for project development. The total workload is now divided up between eight staff members. There is no mention of the day-to-day work of the Secretariat in this report.
Report of the Secretariat. 4.1.1 The Executive Secretary reported on the operation of the Secretariat since the last Meeting of the Parties (MoP3 Doc 8). A significant milestone occurred with the ratification of the Headquarters Agreement by the Government of Australia on 2 December 2008 formally establishing the Secretariat. The Secretariat is currently undertaking the action required to implement the provisions of the Headquarters Agreement.
4.1.2 There has been a significant growth in both the work-load and outputs of the Secretariat since MoP2, reflecting the increased capacity of the Agreement. The Secretariat worked closely with the Advisory Committee on activities associated with implementation of the Action Plan and has contributed to a range of noteworthy achievements, including the adoption of seabird bycatch mitigation measures in a number of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), the development of the species assessments and ACAP database and data portal, and the development of capacity building initiatives involving both Parties and intergovernmental organisations.
4.1.3 It was noted that in addition to the Executive Secretary, a range of consultants, contractors and secondments supported the operations of the Secretariat. However, there are gaps in the level and type of services that the Secretariat is able to provide with the current level of resources and consideration was required on the need for additional staff. The increased outputs of the Advisory Committee and its Working Groups in particular necessitated an increased level of support from the Secretariat, with a request that funding for the Scientific Officer be increased from part to full- time.
4.1.4 The Executive Secretary noted that the Secretariat occasionally requires legal advice on issues related to international law. The Meeting of the Parties decided:
(a) To establish a list of legal experts from Governments that might be called upon purely in their legal expert capacity as an ad-hoc group of experts to address matters of a legal nature;
(b) Invited Parties to nominate experts for the list, and requested the secretariat to maintain the list for future use;
(c) Noted the importance of having a rapporteur for the legal experts group, and invited Parties to nominate candidates for this, and invited the rapporteur, in collaboration with the Secretariat, to consult persons from the list when legal questions needed to be considered
4.1.5 Since the last Meeting of the Parties the Secretariat ...
Report of the Secretariat. 4.1.1 The Executive Secretary reported on the operation of the Secretariat since the last Meeting of the Parties (MoP5 Doc 08). The work of the Secretariat is currently performed by two full-time positions, with the support of Xx Xxxx Xxxxxx as honorary Information Officer, consultants and contractors who perform fixed tasks on a needs basis e.g. translations and interpretation, maintenance of the Agreement’s website and the provision of technical support. Further support is provided by secondments, interns and volunteers undertaking project-type activities.
Report of the Secretariat. Presented by: The Secretariat Presented by: The Chair of the Scientific Committee
Report of the Secretariat
