United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board

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1 ex United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board Hundred and sixtieth Session 160 EX/36 PARIS, 28 July 2000 Original: French Item 8.2 of the provisional agenda RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY OF PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (CPLP) AND DRAFT COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNESCO AND THAT ORGANIZATION SUMMARY In response to the request by the Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, and in compliance with Article XI, paragraph 1, of the Constitution of UNESCO, the Director-General submits to the Executive Board for approval a document concerning the establishment of formal relations with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and the conclusion of a cooperation agreement between the two organizations. Decision required: paragraph In a letter dated 19 April 1999, Mr Marcolino Moco, former Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), expressed the wish that a cooperation agreement should be concluded between that organization and UNESCO. In addition, the group of Ambassadors, Permanent Delegates of CPLP to UNESCO (Portuguese-speaking group), in a letter to the Director-General dated 30 March 2000, stated that it was appropriate and urgent to sign a cooperation agreement between UNESCO and that intergovernmental organization. The Director-General of UNESCO travelled to Maputo, Mozambique, to take part, on 17 and 18 July 2000, in the Third Conference of CPLP Heads of State and Government. 2. The previous Director-General, accompanied by the Deputy Director-General of the Priority Africa Department, had participated in CPLP s inaugural ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, on 17 July The Organization has already cooperated with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, particularly in connection with the Conference of Ministers

2 - page 2 of Education of CPLP (Lisbon, Portugal, 1997 and Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, 2000), and the Conference of Ministers and the Youth Forum (Braga, Portugal, 1998). Several UNESCO projects and activities covering African countries with Portuguese as an official language (PALOPs) and other countries of CPLP have been or are being carried out: interactive training in radio in African countries with Portuguese as an official language (IRIPALOP); special education for children in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the preservation of television audiovisual archives in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the establishment of an institute for training media professionals in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the translation of the UNESCO Courier, among others. The Organization also took the initiative of drawing up a UNESCO-PALOP and Equatorial Guinea cooperation plan. 3. A brief information note on the structure and organization of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries is attached hereto (Annex I). 4. In accordance with the provisions of Article XI, paragraph 1, of the Constitution of UNESCO, the Director-General submits this draft cooperation agreement, as contained in Annex II to this document, to the Executive Board for consideration and approval. 5. In the light of the above, the Executive Board may wish to adopt the following decision: TheExecutiveBoard, 1. Having examined document 160 EX/36, 2. Takes note with satisfaction of the initiatives taken by CPLP in which UNESCO was invited to participate; 3. Approves the draft cooperation agreement contained in Annex II to this document; 4. Authorizes the Director-General to establish official relations with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and to sign the cooperation agreement on behalf of UNESCO.

3 Annex I 1. Headquarters Lisbon (Portugal) 2. Date of foundation ANNEX I INFORMATION NOTE Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries The Constitutive Declaration of CPLP was signed on 17 July Fields of action The fields of action of CPLP are determined by the Constitutive Declaration and concern the following: political and diplomatic consultation; cooperation, particularly in the economic, social, cultural, legal and scientific and technological fields; the implementation of projects for the promotion and the dissemination of the Portuguese language. 4. Bodies The Conference of Heads of State and Government is composed of Heads of State and Government of all the Member States and constitutes the supreme body of CPLP. It frames and guides CPLP s general policies and strategies; it adopts the necessary legal instruments for enforcement of the present Statutes, being nevertheless able to delegate its powers to the Council of Ministers; it establishes the necessary institutions for the smooth running of CPLP; it elects from among its members a President on a rotating basis and for a two-year term of office; it elects the Executive Secretary and the Deputy Executive Secretary of CPLP. The Conference meets in ordinary session every two years and in extraordinary session at the request of two thirds of the Member States. Decisions are taken by consensus and are legally binding on all the Member States. The Council of Ministers is composed of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and External Relations of all the Member States. It coordinates CPLP s activities and supervises the functioning and development of CPLP; it determines, adopts and carries out CPLP s policies and programmes of action; it approves CPLP s budget; it submits recommendations to the Conference on general policy matters and the efficient and harmonious functioning and development of CPLP; it recommends to the Conference the candidates for the posts of Executive Secretary and Deputy Executive Secretary; it convenes conferences and other meetings in order to promote CPLP s objectives and programmes; it performs all other duties assigned to it by the Conference; it elects from among its members a President on a rotating basis and for a one-year term of office; it meets in ordinary session once a year and in

4 Annex I - page 2 extraordinary session at the request of two thirds of the Member States; it is answerable and reports to the Conference. The Standing Consultative Committee is composed of a representative of each of the CPLP Member States; it monitors implementation by the Executive Secretary of the decisions and recommendations made by the Conference and the Council of Ministers; it meets in ordinary session once a month and in extraordinary session as necessary; it is coordinated by the representative of the country presiding over the Council of Ministers; the decisions of the Standing Consultative Committee are taken by consensus. The Executive Secretary is a leading figure from one of the CPLP member countries, elected on a rotating basis for a two-year term of office, renewable once; he/she adopts, under the guidance of the Conference or the Council of Ministers or on his/her own initiative, measures aimed at promoting the objectives and improving the operation of CPLP; he/she appoints the staff of the Executive Secretariat after having heard the Standing Consultative Committee; he/she consults and coordinates his/her activities with the governments of the Member States and other CPLP institutions; he/she is the guardian of CPLP s assets; he/she represents CPLP at relevant forums and discharges any other duty which may be assigned by the Conference, the Council of Ministers or the Standing Consultative Committee. 5. Budget CPLP has a Special Fund made up of voluntary contributions from public and private bodies and intended to support practical actions. 6. Official languages CPLP s official language is Portuguese. 7. Relations with organizations of the United Nations system Observer status with the United Nations since 1999; Observer status with FAO; Observer status with UNCTAD

5 Annex II ANNEX II DRAFT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO) AND THE COMMUNITY OF PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (CPLP) REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARIAT OF CPLP The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, hereinafter referred to as UNESCO, and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, hereinafter referred to as CPLP, Considering that UNESCO was created for the purpose of advancing, through the educational and scientific and cultural relations of the peoples of the world, the objectives of international peace and of the common welfare of humankind, Considering that CPLP, set up by an international law treaty to which the Republic of Angola, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Cape Verde, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Mozambique, the Portuguese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe are parties, constitutes a geographically discontinuous area identified by a common language, seeking to promote cultural exchange, the dissemination of intellectual and artistic creation, and the development of cooperation with respect to higher education, vocational training and the different areas of scientific and technological research, in order to optimize human and natural resources, Recognizing that CPLP, which is a multilateral forum for political and diplomatic consultation and international cooperation bringing together all countries with Portuguese as an official language, is required to address issues and activities which are consonant with the activities and programmes conducted by UNESCO worldwide, Desirous of establishing between them effective relations in order to advance their common goals in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitution of UNESCO and the Constitutive Declaration of the Community of Portuguese- Speaking Countries, Have agreed as follows: Article I - Fields of cooperation 1. CPLP and UNESCO agree to cooperate through the intermediary of their respective bodies. Such cooperation shall concern matters relating to education, to the natural sciences and the social sciences, to protection of the environment and to culture, communication, information and informatics, democracy, peace and any other field in which both organizations engage in similar tasks and activities. 2. Such cooperation shall in no way take the place of existing relations between the various Member States and the two organizations, and shall in no way alter the nature of those relations.

6 Annex II - page 2 Article II - Mutual consultations CPLP and UNESCO agree to hold regular consultations on all matters mentioned in Article I in order to determine the most appropriate means of optimizing the effectiveness of their activities under the present Agreement. Article III - Reciprocal representation 1. CPLP may invite UNESCO to be an observer at its meetings and the meetings of such bodies, commissions and committees as it may establish, whenever the debate relates to matters of common interest. 2. UNESCO may invite CPLP to be an observer at the sessions of the General Conference and the Executive Board and at other meetings of interest to CPLP convened under the auspices of UNESCO. Article IV - Joint activities and projects 1. UNESCO and CPLP may, by mutual agreement, carry out joint activities in the interest of their respective Member States. To that end, they shall agree on the nature and form of such activities and on the commitments of each of the parties. 2. The two organizations shall coordinate their activities for the implementation of joint projects in order to achieve the best possible synergy. Article V - Exchange of information and documents Subject to such measures as may be necessary to protect the confidentiality of particular documents, CPLP and UNESCO agree to exchange information and documents concerning their selected fields of cooperation. Article VI - Examination and evaluation 1. CPLP and UNESCO agree to meet at least once a year to prepare, examine and evaluate joint activities and projects provided for in this Agreement. 2. CPLP and UNESCO may agree to hold such additional consultations as they may deem appropriate for the purpose of strengthening their cooperation. Article VII - Administrative provisions The Executive Secretary of CPLP and the Director-General of UNESCO shall make administrative arrangements to ensure effective cooperation and liaison between the secretariats of the two organizations. Article VIII - Amendments This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the parties. Article IX - Entry into force This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature by both parties.

7 Annex II - page 3 Article X - Duration This Agreement is concluded for an indeterminate period. It may be denounced by either of the parties provided that the other party is given at least one year s official notice thereof in writing. IN WITNESS WHEREOF the duly empowered representatives of the two organizations sign two copies of the Agreement in French and in Portuguese, both texts being authentic. For the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) For the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ms Dulce Pereira Executive Secretary Date Koïchiro Matsuura Director-General Date

8 ex United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Executive Board Hundred and sixtieth Session 160 EX/36 Corr. PARIS, 6 October 2000 Original: French Item 8.2 of the provisional agenda RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY OF PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (CPLP) AND DRAFT COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNESCO AND THAT ORGANIZATION CORRIGENDUM Paragraph 2 should read as follows: 2. The previous Director-General, accompanied by the Deputy Director-General of the Priority Africa Department, had participated in CPLP s inaugural ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, on 17 July The Organization has already cooperated with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, particularly in connection with the Conference of Ministers of Education of CPLP (Lisbon, Portugal, 1997 and Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, 2000), and the Conference of Ministers and the Youth Forum (Braga, Portugal, 1998). Several UNESCO projects and activities covering African countries with Portuguese as an official language (PALOPs) and other countries of CPLP have been or are being carried out: interactive training in radio in African countries with Portuguese as an official language (IRIPALOP); special education for children in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the preservation of television audiovisual archives in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the establishment of an institute for training media professionals in African countries with Portuguese as an official language; the translation of the UNESCO Courier, among others. The Organization also took the initiative of drawing up, in collaboration with the National Commissions and the Permanent Delegations, a UNESCO-PALOP and Equatorial Guinea cooperation plan.