The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The 9th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties

Credentials of official delegates of the Parties

Message to COP9 delegates/Ramsar Administrative Authorities regarding credentials:

To make sure that all delegates from Contracting Parties can actively participate in the COP it is important to start preparing the necessary credentials. These should be prepared as soon as possible after the delegation has been confirmed, and you will find the instructions below.

Credentials

Rule 18 of the Rules of Procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Contracting Parties explains the Credentials procedure. Reflecting paragraph one of Rule 18, the Ramsar Secretariat would be obliged if Contracting Party delegations could submit a copy of their credentials to the Secretariat before the COP by fax or mail, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT NO LATER THAN 21 OCTOBER 2005. However, please bear in mind that the original should be brought to the Conference and presented upon registration.

Rule 18 of the Rules of Procedure provides that:

1. The original of the statement of credentials of the head of delegation and other representatives, alternate representatives, and advisers shall be submitted to the Secretary General of the Convention or to his/her designated representative if possible not later than twenty-four hours after the opening of the meeting. Any later change in the composition of the delegation shall also be submitted to Secretary General or the representative of the Secretary General. (Please note that the Head of Delegation (and the Alternate Head of Delegation if appropriate) must be identified in the credentials. Please also bear in mind that any subsequent change of the Head of Delegation will have to be communicated to the Secretary General by the appropriate authority.)

2. The credentials shall be issued either by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. If other authorities in a Contracting Party are entitled to issue credentials for international meetings, this should have been notified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Secretary General in advance of the meeting.

3. The credentials must bear the name and position of the person who signs the credentials, a full signature of the appropriate authority or else be sealed and initialed by that authority. The seal and/or letter heading should clearly indicate that the credentials have been issued by the appropriate authority.

4. A representative may not exercise the right to vote unless his/her name is clearly and unambiguously listed in the credentials.

5. If credentials are submitted in a language other than one of the official languages of the Convention (English, French and Spanish), they shall be accompanied by a suitable translation - a sealed copy provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its diplomatic representation, or the office of the Head of Delegation or the office of one of the delegates whose name is listed in the Credentials - into one of these three languages to permit efficient validation of the credentials by the Credentials Committee.

Thank you for taking due note of the above.

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 26 September 2005, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.