1. Entities from the Region that fall into any one or more of the following categories shall be qualified to apply for membership of the Association:

    a ) any government, government department or governmental agency involved in rural finance and agricultural credit for overall development;
    b ) any central bank or monetary authority;
    c ) any national-level financial institution, or national-level federation or association of financial institutions actively pursuing rural and agricultural financing and development; and
    d ) any national-level training and/or research and development institute related to rural finance and agricultural credit.

  2. The General Assembly may decide the conditions under which an applicant for membership of the Association may be admitted as a member.  Such decision shall require a Qualified Majority in its favour.
  3. The Executive Committee Members shall have the power to consider applications for membership of the Association and to admit new members in accordance with the conditions for admission determined by the General Assembly.
  4. The General Assembly shall determine the amount of annual membership fee of the Association, and the conditions and circumstances that qualify a Member to be exempted from payment of the whole or part of the annual membership fee.  Such determinations shall require a Qualified Majority in their favour.  Unless otherwise determined by the General Assembly in terms of these provisions, the annual membership fee of the Association shall be a sum of United States Dollars Four Thousand beginning year 2013.
  5. A Member who wishes to withdraw from membership of the Association shall give written notice of such withdrawal to the Secretary General, provided that at least one year has elapsed from the date such Member acquired membership of the Association.  The withdrawal from membership of the Association of a Member, who gives such notice, shall take effect upon the expiry of one year from the date of receipt of the notice by the Secretary General.
  6. a ) Any Member who fails to pay the annual membership fee due from it on or before the due date, unless exempted from the payment of such fee in accordance with the Regulations, shall not exercise its membership rights until such time as full payment of the sum due is made.
    b) The membership of any Member, who persistently fails to fulfill any of its obligations specified in Part I of the Regulations, may be suspended or terminated by the decision of the General Assembly.  Such decision shall require a Qualified Majority in its favour.