1. The Council of Ministers of the Authority, hereinafter referred to as “the Council”, is the control body of the Authority. It is made up of Ministers or their duly accredited representatives, with one vote per member country. Each Minister may be assisted by Experts.

2. The Council is responsible for monitoring the activities of the Executive Secretariat and reports to the Summit on such activities. It prepares the Sessions of the Summit, reviews all issues, deals with matters submitted to it and makes recommendations to the Summit.

3. The Council meets once a year in Ordinary Session. A quorum is reached by simple majority. Recommendations and Resolutions are adopted by consensus.

4. The Chairperson of the Council in-office shall convene an Extraordinary Session of the Council at the request of any member country.

5. The Council meets in the country holding the Chairmanship, failing that, in the Host country or in any other venue as may be indicated by the Chairperson of the Summit. The Chairperson has a two-year term. Between sessions, he/she represents the Council.

6. He/she takes decisions in accordance with the guidance of the Summit and within the limits of the powers delegated to him. The Chairmanship is held in tums following the alphabetical order of the name of the countries in French.

1. The Technical Committee of Experts is made up of the member countries’ Representatives. Its mandate is to:
   a) Prepare the Council of Ministers sessions;
   b) Submit reports and recommendations to the Council of Ministers.

2. The Technical Committee of Experts meets at the request of the Executive Secretary according to a schedule approved by the Council of Ministers.

3. Any other meeting of the Technical Committee of Experts shall be approved by the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers.

1. The Executive Secretariat is the executing body of the Authority.

2. It is led by an Executive Secretary appointed by the Summit of Heads of State and Government, upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, for a four-year period renewable only once. Each member country can present a candidate for the Executive Secretary position.

3. The Executive Secretary is the Chief Executive of the Authority’s Executive Secretariat.

4. The Executive Secretary may be relieved of his duties by the Summit upon recommendation of the Council of Ministers.

5. In appointing officers to the various positions of the Executive Secretariat, due consideration is given to qualification and the need to maintain fair sharing of the positions among the member countries.

6. In discharging his/her duties, the Executive Secretary is accountable to the Authority’s High Bodies. The other officers of the Secretariat are accountable to the Executive Secretary.

7. The Executive Secretary is responsible for the administration of the Authority and all its structures for implementing the decisions made by the Higher Bodies.

To this end, he/she is mainly responsible for:
   a) Undertaking all works and studies to achieve the objectives of the Authority;
   b) Make all appropriate proposals meant to contribute to the Authority’s harmonious development.