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AAPSO CONSTITUTION
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Preamble:
The Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) is a mass
solidarity movement of the peoples of Africa and Asia in the common
struggle for the elimination of injustices to the people, for the
consolidation of genuine independence and the defence of sovereignty,
against aggressive policies, to ensure economic security, for the right
to choose their own way of socioeconomic development, for the promotion
of national culture, for a non-violent world and for general
disarmament, international security and lasting peace.
As a non-governmental pluralist and democratic organization, AAPSO,
based on the principles of Bandung and the Non-Aligned Movement, and in
full adherence to the UN charter is an integral part of the peace-loving
forces for the democratization of international relations; the
establishment of the Democratic Economic and International Information
and Communication Order, upholding human rights and for the protection
of environment.
In keeping with peaceful economic development, AAPSO gives priority to
poverty alleviation in the south countries.
Article I: Name of the Organization:
The name of the
Organization is:
THE AFRO-ASIAN PEOPLES' SOLIDARITY ORGANIZATION hereinafter referred to
as "the AAPSO".
Article 2: Objectives of the Organization:
1. To unite,
consolidate and accelerate actions of solidarity with the struggle
against all forms of aggression, racism, Zionism, fascism; and to
provide all-out moral, political and material support to the protection
of freedom, and national independence.
2. To act in an
interdependent world, in support of the principles of the United Nations
Charter and of the Non-Aligned Movement and to strengthen cooperation of
the AAPSO with the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement and with the other
governmental and nongovernmental organizations that act for the same
objectives.
3. To mobilize
the peoples of Africa, Asia and other developing countries, progressive
and democratic forces all over the world, against the policy of
destabilization, against military pacts, blocs, bases and facilities.
4. To rally
against exploitation, to overcome backwardness, for economic security,
for the sovereign right of peoples over their national resources and to
bring about socio-economic transformations.
5. To
strengthen the struggle for just and lasting peace and security,
stopping the arms' race, for nuclear and complete disarmament, and for
development.
6. a. To
safeguard, respect and uphold human rights, equal rights for women and
special protection of the child, to support the struggle for democracy
and for the promotion of the democratic solution to the conflicts of
nationalities and minorities.
b. To propagate the Charter of Universal Declaration of Human
Rights including implementation of all the statutes, conventions,
treaties and covenants passed and accepted by the United Nations
Organisation over the years.
7. To resolve
international, regional and national conflicts by peaceful dialogue,
based on the principles of the UN Charter in the spirit of solidarity
and on the basis of national reconciliation.
8. To support
achievement and consolidation of their national unity within the
Afro-Asian countries.
9. For
socioeconomic and cultural development and for a New International
Information and Communication Order as well as to deepen cooperation and
mutual assistance among nations and among democratic organizations for
the realization of these goals.
10. To support
the independent policy of the Afro-Asian States, organizations and
forces which seek to extricate from political, economic, social and
cultural infiltration.
11. To work,
while retaining its own identity, for the activisation of the movement
focusing on the masses and mass organizations, for establishing and
consolidating the alliance of the progressive, national unity among the
Afro-Asian peoples, and the peoples of the world.
12. To work for
the protection of environment and for the safeguarding of the ecological
resources of our planet.
Article 3: Membership:
1. Membership
of the AAPSO consists of Afro-Asian Solidarity Committees, and Peace and
Solidarity Committees. In the absence of such national committees, civil
society organizations, in Africa and Asia, as the case may be, committed
to the principles and objectives of the AAPSO can be considered for
membership.
2. Member
organizations shall constitute the basic units of the Afro-Asian
Peoples' Solidarity Organization.
3. Each country
shall be represented in the Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organization
by more than one organization.
4. Upon
receiving an application for membership, the Secretariat shall consider
the application and finally endorses the new affiliation as a member.
5. Associate
membership is open to solidarity organizations, outside Africa and Asia,
which work for and are committed to the principles of the AAPSO and
which seek to unify the social forces in their countries on the basis of
solidarity among nations. The associate members will have all the rights
of full members.
6. The status
of observer shall be granted to national or international organizations,
support-groups, trade-unions; youth, women; writers' and other
political, economic, social or public organizations, regardless of their
geographical affiliation, whose activities correspond with the
principles, objectives and purposes of the AAPSO.
7. The status
of guest invited to AAPSO meetings shall be granted to prominent
personalities, leading members or representatives of national and
international organizations as decided by the Secretariat, in each
specific case.
8. Observers
and guests have the right to attend AAPSO meetings and participate in
discussion, but they do not have the right to vote.
Article 4: Constitutional Organs of AAPSO:
The Organization shall
comprise:
I- The Congress
2- The
Secretariat
Article 5: The Congress:
1. The Congress
of the AAPSO is the supreme authority of the Organization. It is the
only body empowered to introduce amendments to the Constitution. It has
the full competence to decide on all political, organizational and
financial matters of the AAPSO. It shall determine the AAPSO strategic
plat form and programme of action.
2. The Congress
shall be composed of member-and associate-member organizations which
constitute the basic units of the AAPSO; and shall be attended by
observers and guests.
3. All
resolutions and recommendations adopted by the Congress shall be binding
to constitutional organs of the AAPSO and shall guide the action of the
member- and associate-member organizations.
4. The Congress
elects:
-The President of AAPSO
-The Secretary-General of AAPSO
- Members of the Secretariat.
Congress shall ratify and/or amend what the Secretariat has previously
adopted with regard to the following:
a) the list of member organizations,
b) the list of associate member organizations. And
c) the list of observer.
5. The quorum
for the convocation of the Congress shall be reached by the attendance
of the simple majority of member and associate-member organizations.
6. Each
delegation of the member-or associate-member organizations to the
Congress shall have one vote. Participants in the Congress shall seek
consensus on all issues. However all Congress documents shall be adopted
by a simple majority of the voles of the member- and associate-member
organizations participating in the Congress.
7. The
political-organizational report of the Secretariat of the AAPSO as well
as its proposals for future programmes of action, shall be considered
the working documents of the Congress.
8. Only the
Congress shall have the right to elect the President of the AAPSO from
the prominent personalities of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Movement, on
the nomination of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee of the country of
the Headquarters of the AAPSO. Only the Congress has right to adopt a
resolution on changing the country of the headquarters of the AAPSO on
the proposal of the AAPSO Secretariat.
9. The Congress
shall elect the Secretary General of the Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity
Organization on the nomination of the Secretariat, from the prominent
personalities of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Movement.
10. The
Congress elects a number of Secretaries from member and associate member
organizations, taking into account geo-political considerations on two
tier system: - a small secretariat working daily and enlarged
secretariat to meet once in four months.
11. The
Congress shall be convened every three years.
12. An
Emergency Congress of AAPSO shall be convened on the request of the
simple majority of member-organizations of AAPSO.
When the Congress is in session, the Secretariat shall act as the
Steering Committee which shall decide on all its procedures, including
the agenda, time-table, commissions, election of officers of the
Congress and participation.
Article 6: The Secretariat:
1. The Congress
elects the Secretariat, which is composed of the President, the
Secretary General, as well as a number of Secretaries representing
member and associate member organizations taking into consideration
geo-political factors.
2. a) The
Secretariat is the political executive which shall directly implement
all the decisions of the AAPSO and its programme of action.
b) The quorum of the Secretariat is the simple majority and
voting is by the simple majority.
3. The
Secretariat shall be fully accountable to the Congress.
4. The
President of the AAPSO shall be the head of the Permanent Secretariat.
5. The
Secretary General shall lead all the activities of the Secretariat and
its work, and responsible for the implementation of all its decision.
6. a) In the
absence of the President for any reason, the Secretary General takes
over his function.
b) The Congress authorizes and empowers the Secretariat to meet
in an emergency situation and to elect the President and/or the
Secretary General in case of resignation, incapacitation or demise of
either or both of them.
c) Until the election takes place, the President or Secretary
General takes over the functions of the vacant post.
7. On the
decision of the Secretariat any member or associate member organization
of the AAPSO may send its representative to the Permanent Secretariat as
an observer and shall pay all expenses of his stay in the AAPSO
headquarters.
8. The
Secretariat prepares the Congress.
9. The
Secretariat appoints the Editorial Board of the AAPSO publications.
10. The
Secretariat provides the administrative and technical machinery required
by the meetings of the AAPSO on all levels, and it keeps records of
these meetings.
Article 7: Finances:
1. The
Organization shall be financed by the subscriptions of member and
associate member organizations and by the contributions offered by the
friendly organizations, observers or individuals that support the
objectives and purposes of the AAPSO.
2. Each
member-organization and associate member organization of the Afro-Asian
Peoples' Solidarity Organization shall pay a minimum annual subscription
of five thousand US dollars, the equivalent or in other forms.
3. The
secretariat will submit a financial report to the congress.
Article 8: The AAPSO Specialized Centres:
Depending on the
requirements of the movement the Permanent Secretariat will undertake to
establish research groups as and when necessary.
Article 9:
The official languages
of the AAPSO are English, French and Arabic.
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