Statute

Statute of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization

Establishment

1. The Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (hereinafter referred to as “CSAM” or the “Centre”) was established as the Asian and Pacific Centre for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery on 22 May 2002 pursuant to Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific resolution 58/5 of the same date, and subsequently superseded by the United Nations Asian and Pacific Centre for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery (UNAPCAEM) through Commission resolution 61/3 of 18 May 2005.

2. The membership of CSAM shall be identical to the membership of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (hereinafter referred to as “ESCAP” or “the Commission”).

3. The Centre shall have the status of a subsidiary body of ESCAP.

Objectives

4. The objectives of the Centre are to enhance technical cooperation among the members and associate members of ESCAP as well as other interested member States of the United Nations, through extensive exchange of information and sharing of knowledge and promotion of research and development and agro-enterprise development in the areas of sustainable agricultural mechanization and technology for the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals, in the region.

Functions

5. The Centre will achieve the above objectives through undertaking such functions as:

(a) Assistance in the improvement of agricultural engineering and sustainable agricultural mechanization;

(b) Enhancement of farm mechanization technologies in addressing issues related to subsistence farming for increased food security and nutrition, and poverty reduction and promoting agro-based small and medium-sized enterprise development and commercial farming to seize opportunities for increased market access and agrifood trade;

(c) A focus on an agro-based enterprise cluster concept and enterprise development activities to enhance the capabilities of members in identifying potential agricultural commodities in their respective countries on a clustering basis;

(d) Regional cooperation in environmentally friendly agro technology transfer on mutually agreed terms, including through networking of focal point national institutes in CSAM member countries and other relevant institutions;

(e) Setting up an interactive Internet website to allow members full access to information and technology databases, including the sharing of expert systems and decision support systems in financial management of small and medium-sized enterprises;

(f) Promotion of the technology transfer process on mutually agreed terms from research and development institutes to the agricultural and farm machinery extension systems in member countries for poverty reduction;

(g) Assistance in the voluntary dissemination and exchange of sustainable and commercially successful machinery and related drawings of appropriate tools, machines and equipment;

(h) Technical assistance projects, capacity-building programmes, training workshops and seminars and advisory services on sustainable agricultural mechanization and related food safety standards;

(i) Tapping the resources of an array of stakeholders, in particular developed countries, in building the capacity of member countries.

Status and organization

6. The Centre shall have a Governing Council (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”), a Director and other staff.

7. The Centre is located in Beijing.

8. The Centre’s activities shall be in line with relevant policy decisions adopted by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission. The Centre shall be subject to the Financial and Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and the applicable administrative instructions.

Governing Council

9. The Centre shall have a Governing Council consisting of a representative designated by the Government of China and eight representatives nominated by other members and associate members of ESCAP of relevant line ministries elected by the Commission. The members and associate members elected by the Commission shall be elected for a period of three years but shall be eligible for re-election. The Executive Secretary or his/her representative shall attend meetings of the Council.

10. The Director of the Centre shall serve as Secretary of the Council.

11. Representatives of (a) States that are not members of the Council, (b) United Nations bodies and specialized and related agencies and (c) such other organizations as the Council may deem appropriate, as well as experts in fields of interest to the Council, may be invited by the Executive Secretary to attend meetings of the Council.

12. The Council shall meet at least once a year and may adopt its own rules of procedure. Sessions of the Council shall be convened by the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, who may propose special sessions of the Council at his/her own initiative and shall convene such special sessions at the request of a majority of Council members.

13. A quorum for meetings of the Council shall be a majority of its members.

14. Each member of the Council shall have one vote. Decisions and recommendations of the Council shall be made by consensus or, where that is not possible, by a majority of the members present and voting.

15. The Council shall, at each regular session, elect a Chair and Vice Chair. They shall hold office until the next regular session of the Council. The Chair or, in his/her absence, the Vice-Chair shall preside at meetings of the Council. If the Chair is unable to serve for the full term for which he/she has been elected, the Vice-Chair shall act as Chair for the remainder of that term.

16. The Council shall review the administration and financial status of the Centre and the implementation of its programme of work. The Executive Secretary shall submit an annual report, as adopted by the Council, to the Commission at its annual sessions.

17. The Council shall ensure that the Centre develops its capacity to assist member States in an efficient and effective manner.

Director and staff

18. The Centre shall have a Director, and staff, who shall be ESCAP staff members appointed under the appropriate United Nations regulations, rules and administrative instructions. The Director shall be appointed in a manner consistent with United Nations regulations and rules. The Council will be invited to nominate candidates for the position of Director, once the vacancy is announced, and provide advice, as appropriate. Other members and associate members of the Commission may also submit nominations for the post.

19. The Director shall be responsible to the Executive Secretary of ESCAP for the administration of the Centre and the implementation of its programme of work.

Resources of the Centre

20. All members and associate members of ESCAP should be encouraged to make a regular annual contribution on a voluntary basis to the operations of the Centre. The United Nations shall administer a joint contribution trust fund in which those contributions shall be deposited.

21. The Centre will endeavour to mobilize sufficient resources to support its activities.

22. The Centre shall strive towards a funding structure that is primarily dependent on extrabudgetary resources.

23. The United Nations shall maintain separate trust funds for voluntary contributions for technical cooperation projects or other extraordinary voluntary contributions for activities of the Centre.

24. The financial resources of the Centre shall be administered in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations.

Amendments

25. Amendments to the present statute shall be adopted by the Commission.

Matters not covered by the present statute

26. In the event of any procedural matter arising that is not covered by the present statute or rules of procedure adopted by the Governing Council under paragraph 12 of this statute, the pertinent part of the rules of procedure of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific shall apply.

Entry into force

27. The present statute shall enter into force on the date of its adoption by the Commission.