1. There shall be held a meeting of the Members of the Association annually as follows:

    a ) An ordinary meeting of the General Assembly comprising the Members in respect of every two calendar years; and
    b ) A general meeting of the General Assembly comprising the Members convened by the Executive Committee Members in each calendar year other than in a calendar year in which an ordinary meeting of the General Assembly is held in terms of sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph.

  2. An extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly comprising the Members shall be convened in accordance with the provisions of Part II of the Regulations.
  3. A majority of the total number of the Members, provided that such majority contains at least one Member from each of not less than a majority of the Represented Countries, shall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the General Assembly.  A Member shall be deemed to be present at a meeting when a person authorised by such Member, by a letter addressed to the Secretary General, to participate and vote on its behalf is present at such meeting.
  4. Each Member shall have the right to vote at the meetings of the General Assembly, provided that a Member who is unable to be present at a meeting may authorise, by a letter addressed to the Secretary General, another Member to participate and to vote on its behalf at such meeting.
  5. a ) The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman shall be elected for a period of two years from among the Members at every ordinary meeting of the General Assembly.  Each of such elected Members shall nominate one person who shall function in the capacity of the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman, as the case may be, and each of them shall function as Chairman and Vice-Chairman as the representative of the Member which nominated him and not in his personal capacity.
    b ) A Member who makes such nomination may revoke the nomination and nominate another person to function as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, as the case may be.
    c ) Where the person nominated as the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman is temporarily unable to perform the functions of his office, the Member that nominated him may nominate another to act for him.
    d ) A Member shall make a nomination or revoke a nomination in terms of this paragraph by a letter addressed to the Secretary General.
  6. The General Assembly shall, in accordance with the Regulations:
    a ) review, direct and coordinate the activities of the Association;
    b ) at every ordinary meeting, consider and approve the audited accounts and the financial report of the Association for the previous two financial years;
    c ) at every ordinary meeting, consider and approve the programme of work and budget of the Association up to the next ordinary meeting of the General Assembly;
    d ) elect and terminate the services of the ordinary members of the Executive Committee Members at an ordinary meeting of the General Assembly, provided that such election and termination be made at a general meeting of the General Assembly if the General Assembly makes a specific decision to that effect;
    e ) appoint and terminate the services of the Secretary General;
    f  ) appoint and terminate the services of the auditor(s);
    g ) determine the conditions for admission to membership and the admission fee payable by new Members;
    h ) determine the annual membership fee and the circumstances in which a Member may be exempted from the payment thereof;
    i  ) adopt amendments to the Regulations;
    j  ) approve any rules and procedures for the organs and bodies of the Association;
    k ) decide the date and venue of the next ordinary meeting of the General Assembly; and
    l  ) discuss, decide and take action on any other matter within the scope of the Association as it may deem necessary.
  7. a ) Unless otherwise provided in Part I of the Regulations, a decision of the General Assembly at a meeting shall be taken by a simple majority of the votes cast, provided that such majority contains at least one vote from a Member from each of not less than a majority of the Represented Countries present at such meeting.
    b )
    (i) A decision of the General Assembly, on a matter which does not require a Qualified Majority, may be taken by correspondence, provided that the Executive Committee Members considers that a decision on such matter is urgent and could conveniently be taken by correspondence.
    (ii) Subject to sub-paragraph (b) (i) of this paragraph, the General Assembly may take a decision by correspondence by a simple majority of the votes cast, provided that more than half of the total number of the Members have cast their votes, and provided further that such simple majority contains at least one vote from a Member from each of not less than a majority of the Represented Countries.
    (iii) When the Executive Committee Members decides that any matter shall be placed for a decision of the General Assembly by correspondence, the Secretary General shall circulate a notice, approved by the Executive Committee Members, among the Members by registered post soliciting their vote on such matter.  Each Member shall respond to such notice by sending his vote by registered post to the Secretary General to reach him not later than a date specified in the notice (hereinafter referred to as the specified date).  The specified date shall not be earlier than 45 days from the date of dispatch of such notice to Members.
    (iv) On the day immediately following the specified date, the Secretary General shall take a count of the votes received, and communicate to the Members, by registered post, the results of the voting, giving such particulars as may have been specified by the Executive Committee Members and, based thereon, the decision of the General Assembly on the matter on which the vote was taken.
    (v) The Secretary General shall keep in his office, in safe custody, all documents and records relating to a decision taken by correspondence for perusal by any Member.
  8. The General Assembly may establish such subsidiary ad hoc bodies and working groups as it may deem necessary.
  9. The General Assembly may delegate any of its powers to the Executive Committee Members or other organs and bodies of the Association except those provided for in sub-paragraph 6 (b) of Article IV and in Article VI of Part I of the Regulations.
  10. The FAO shall enjoy the status of a permanent observer with the right to participate in all discussions at the meetings of the General Assembly.