Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment

 

Article XIX
THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT

1. The Secretary General shall head the General Secretariat and perform
the functions necessary for the management of the Convention and its
protocols, annexes, the action plan and the work of the General
Secretariat;

2. The General Secretariat shall have the duties and powers necessary to
achieve the purposes of this Convention and its protocols and to execute
the action plan, according to decisions of the Council, and in
particular:

(a) To prepare for and convene the meetings of the Council and its
subsidiary bodies and ad hoc working groups;

(b) To transmit to the Contracting Parties notifications, reports and
other information received;

(c) To consider inquiries by, and information from, the Contracting
Parties and to consult with them on questions relating to this Convention
and its protocols, annexes and the action plan;

(d) To prepare and submit reports on matters relating to this
Convention, its protocols, annexes and the action plan or relating to the
administration of the Organization;

(e) To establish, maintain and disseminate an up-to-date collection
of national laws concerning the conservation of the marine environment of
all Contracting Parties;

(f) To provide technical assistance and advice for the drafting of
appropriate national legislation for the effective implementation of this
Convention and its protocols;

(g) To organize and co-ordinate training programmes in areas related
to the implementation of this Convention, its protocols and the action
plan;

(h) To perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the
Council for the implementation of this Convention, its protocols and the
action plan.

Article XX
BUDGET AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE ORGANIZATION

1. The Organization shall have its own budget.

2. The financial resources of the Organization shall consist of:

(a) Contributions by the Contracting Parties;
(b) ALECSO contribution;
(c) Other contributions accepted by the Council.

3. Reports on the budget of the Organization shall be transmitted to the
ALECSO General Conference for information.

Article XXI
ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS OF THE CONVENTION AND ITS PROTOCOLS

The Council, or any Contracting Party may propose amendments to this
Convention, its protocols or annexes. Amendments of importance shall be
adopted by a unanimous vote of the Contracting Parties. Other amendments
shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority. Any matter is considered
important if so requested by one Contracting Party. Amendments shall
enter into force when adopted by the Contracting Parties in accordance
with articles XXVI and XXVII of this Convention.

Article XXII
REPORTS

Each Contracting Party shall submit to the General Secretariat reports on
measures taken for the implementation of this Convention and its
protocols, in such form and at such intervals as may be determined by the
Council.

Article XXIII
COMPLIANCE CONTROL

The Contracting Parties shall co-operate in the development and
implementation of procedures for the effective application of the
Convention and its protocols, including detection of violations, using
all appropriate and practicable measures of detection and environmental
monitoring, including adequate procedures for reporting and accumulation
of evidence.

Article XXIV
Settlement of Disputes

1. In case of a dispute as to the interpretation or application of this
Convention, its protocols or its annexes, the Contracting Parties
concerned shall seek a settlement of the dispute through amicable means.

2. If the Contracting Parties concerned cannot settle the dispute, the
matter shall be referred to the Council for its consideration.

3. If the Council does not reach a settlement of the dispute, it shall be
submitted to the Committee for the Settlement of Disputes referred to in
paragraph 2(c) of article XVI of this Convention.

Article XXV
SIGNATURE

The present Convention together with the attached Protocol shall be open
for signature in Jeddah by Governments of the States of the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden invited to the Jeddah Regional Conference of
Plenipotentiaries on the Conservation of the Marine Environment and
Coastal Areas in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden convened from 19 to 21
Rabie Althani A.H. 1402, corresponding to 13 to 15 February 1982.

Article XXVI
RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL OR ACCESSION

1. The present Convention together with the attached Protocol shall be
subject to ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by the States
referred to in article XXV of this Convention. Any Contracting Party
which has ratified, accepted, approved or acceded to the present
Convention shall be considered as having ratified, accepted, approved or
acceded to the attached Protocol.

2. Any State member of the Arab League has the right to accede to the
present Convention and its protocols.

Article XXVII
ENTRY INTO FORCE

1. The present Convention and the attached Protocol shall enter into
force on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit of at least four
instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval of, or accession to,
the Convention.

2. Any other protocol to this Convention, except as otherwise provided in
such protocol, shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following the
date of deposit of at least four instruments of ratification acceptance
or approval of, or accession to such protocol.

3. This Convention or any such protocol shall enter into force with
respect to any Contracting Party on the thirtieth day following the date
of deposit by that Contracting Party of its instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession.

Article XXVIII
WITHDRAWAL

1. At any time after five years from the date of entry into force of this
Convention, any Contracting Party may withdraw from this Convention by
giving written notification of withdrawal to the Depositary.

2. Except as may be otherwise provided in any other protocol to this
Convention, any Contracting Party may, at any time after five years from
the date of entry into force of such protocol, withdraw from such
protocol by giving written notification of withdrawal to the Depositary.

3. Withdrawal shall take effect twelve months after the date on which
notification of withdrawal is received by the Depositary.

4. Any Contracting Party which withdraws from the Convention shall be
considered as also having withdrawn from any protocol to which it was a
party.

5. Any Contracting Party which withdraws from the Protocol concerning
Regional Co-operation in Combating Pollution by Oil and other Harmful
Substances in Cases of Emergency shall be considered as also having
withdrawn from this Convention.

Article XXIX
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPOSITARY

1. The Depositary shall receive instruments of ratification of this
Convention and its protocols.

2. The Depositary shall call the first meeting of the Council when this
Convention enters into force after ratification by four Contracting
Parties.

3. After the first meeting of the Council the General Secretariat shall
assume all technical and administrative responsibilities and duties. The
original of this Convention, of any protocol thereto, of any annex to the
Convention or to a protocol, or of any amendment to this Convention, to a
protocol or to an annex of the Convention or of a protocol shall be
deposited with the Depositary, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, which shall send certified copies thereof to the Contracting
Parties and shall also deposit certified copies of the Convention, its
protocols and annexes with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab
States in accordance with article 17 of the Arab League Charter and with
the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with Article
102 of the Charter of the United Nations .

In witness whereof the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, being duly
authorized by their respective Governments, have signed the present
Convention.

Done at the City of Jeddah on Sunday the twentieth of the month Rabie
Althani of the year A.H. 1402, corresponding to 14 Shabat (February) of
the year A.D. 1982.

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Charter of the United Nations, Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment, Settlement of Disputes.