ORGANIZATION  AND METHOD FOR
   
    THE REALIZATION OF
   
    AFRO-ARAB CO-OPERATION

In addition to the Joint Afro-Arab  Summit and the Joint Council of Ministers, the following joint bodies shall be  created to ensure the realization of Afro-Arab Co-operation as defined in the  Declaration and Programme of Action on Afro-Arab Co-operation :

1.   Standing Commission;
  2.  Working  Groups and Specialized Panels;
  3.  Co-ordinating  Committee;
  4.  Ad Hoc Court for  Commission of Conciliation and Arbitration.

I.        JOINT SUMMIT CONFERENCE AND COUNCILOF MINISTERS
   The Afro-Arab Summit shall be  held every three years and the Joint Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers  shall be held every eighteen months.

II.       STANDING COMMISSION
   Composition : The  Standing Commission shall be composed of 24 Ministers twelve of whom shall be  appointed by the Organization of African Unity and twelve by the League of Arab  States or their Representatives who must be at least of Ambassadorial rank, the  two Secretaries-General of the Organization of African Unity and the League of  Arab States.
   The Chairmanship :  The Chairmanship of the Group of Twelve of the Organization of African Unity  and the Group of Twelve of the League of Arab States shall be Co-Chairmen  of the Standing Commission.

Meeting and Venue : The Standing Commission shall meet in Ordinary Session  twice every year alternatively at the Headquarters of the two Organizations  unless in case of an invitation extended by a member State. By agreement of the  two Chairmen, an Extra-ordinary Session of the Commission shall be convened  when necessary.
   The dates and duration of such  meetings shall be fixed after consultation between the Chairmen and the  Secretaries-General of the two Organizations.

Terms of Reference : The Standing Commission is entrusted with the implementation  of Afro-Arab Co-operation and shall follow up its development in the various  fields. It shall examine and direct co-operation towards the political,  cultural, social, technological and economic objectives as envisaged in the  Declaration and Programme of Action on Afro-Arab Co-operation :
  To this End, the Commission shall take  the appropriate decisions :
  It shall, inter alia :

a)Ensure the implementation and follow-up of decisions of the  Conference of Heads of State and Government and the Council of Ministers;
  b)Consider issues raised by each party and work out the  necessary proposals to be submitted to the Council of Ministers for the  promotion and strengthening of Afro-Arab Co-operation;
  c)Set up the necessary working groups on the various aspects  of Afro-Arab Co-operation and define their terms of reference and rules of  procedure; 
  d)Approve the projects proposed by the appropriate working  groups;
  e)Deal  with matters relating to general organization and co-ordination in the  establishment of co-operation;
  f)   The  Standing Commission may, if necessary, propose a joint Extraordinary Meeting of  the Council of Ministers.

III.              WORKING GROUPS AND SPECIALIZED PANELS

Working Groups and Specialized Panels  shall be established in accordance with the Declaration and Programme of Action  on Afro-Arab Co-operation in the following fields as the necessity
  arises;

a)Trade;
  b)Mining and Industry;
  c)Agriculture, Forestry; Fisheries and Animal Husbandry;
  d) Energy and Water Resources;
  e)Transport, Communication and Telecommu-nications;
  f) Financial Co-operation;
  g)Educational, Social, Cultural and information;
h)Scientific and Technical Co-operation.

The Standing Commission may set up other  Working Groups.
    Composition : Each Working Group shall be composed as far as possible of  an equal number of experts and specialists from both sides. Each side shall, as  far as possible, ensure the continuity of the terms of office of the members of  the Group.
   Each of the two sides shall  appoint a Chairman for each Working Group and shall inform the Chairman of the  other side of its choice. Each Working Group shall appoint a Rapporteur.
  Each Working Group may consult  specialists from the public or private sector
  when necessary.

TERMS
  OF REFERENCE

1.Each Working Group shall submit any appropriate proposal,  within its competence, to the two Chairmen, especially with regard to the  selection and implementation of projects with due
  consideration of the instructions issued by the Standing Commission.
  2. The Working Groups shall submit their proposals and  recommendations to the Standing Commission to take necessary measures in this  respect.
 
3. Each Working Group may, after consultation with the  Chairmen, decide to set up Specialized Panels to undertake any specific  assignment within the former’s terms of reference.

4.The Working Groups shall each define, within the framework  of its competence, the terms of reference of the Specialized Panels as well as  the method of work of these panels.
   
5. The Working Groups may terminate the assignment of any  Specialized Panel.

IV.        CO-ORDINATING  COMMITTEE

 The Co-ordinating Committee  shall be responsible, under the authority of the Standing Commission, on the  one hand, for co-ordinating the work of the various working Groups and, on the  other, for ensuring the implementation of decisions taken. Within the limits  of these powers, the Co-ordinating Committee shall deal exclusively with  matters of a practical and administrative nature requiring urgent decisions.

          Composition :  The Co-ordinating Committee shall be composed of :

- the Chairman of the Committee of Twelve and the  Secretary-General of the OAU, on the one hand, and the Chairman of the  Committee of Twelve and the Secretary-General of the League of ArabStates on  the other;
- The Co-Chairman and Rapporteur of each of the Working Group  concerned, if the Co-ordinating Committee deems it necessary.

V.       AFRO-ARAB  AD HOC COURT OR COMMISSION OF CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION
 An Afro-Arab Court or  Commission of Conciliation and Arabitration shall be set up charged with the  legal interpretation of texts governing Afro-Arab Co-operation and any disputes  that may arise. The Status and composition of such an Institution shall be laid  down by a meeting of experts to be convened under the auspices of the OAU and  the Arab League.
 
 
 
  VI. MEANS OF ACTION
   A special Fund shall be established for the running of the  executive bodies of Afro-Arab Co-operation. This Fund shall be financed on a  50% contribution from each of the two Organizations’ regular budgets.  Individual and voluntary contributions could be made to this Special Fund.
           
  The budget of the Special Fund Shall be approved by the Standing Commission.
 This Fund shall be  administered by the Secretaries-General of the Organization of African Unity  and the League of Arab States under the control and responsibility of the  Co-ordinating Committee which will regularly report to the Standing Commission.