GENERAL
STANDARDS TO GOVERN THE OPERATIONS
OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
CHAPTER
II
THE
SECRETARY GENERAL AND THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL
Article 8. The
Secretary General. The
Secretary General shall direct the General Secretariat, be the legal
representative thereof, and, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 91 (b) of
the Charter, be responsible to the General Assembly for the proper fulfillment
of the obligations and functions of the General Secretariat.
The Secretary General shall be the ranking officer of the Organization.
Article 9. Participation
in Meetings. The Secretary
General or his representative may participate with voice but without vote in all
meetings of the Organization. His
participation in these meetings shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of
the Charter and of the respective statutes, rules of procedure, and agreements.
Article 10. Notice
of Threats to Peace and Security. The
Secretary General may bring to the attention of the General Assembly or the
Permanent Council any matter which in his opinion might threaten the peace and
security of the Hemisphere or the development of the Member States. The Secretary General shall exercise this authority in
accordance with the Charter.
Article 11. Reports.
The Secretary General shall furnish the reports that are requested of him
by the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, and the Councils.
Article 12. Powers.
It is the responsibility of the Secretary General:
a.
To
establish the dependencies of the General Secretariat that are necessary
to accomplish its purposes;
b.
To
determine the number of members of the staff of the General Secretariat,
appoint them, regulate their powers and duties, and set their
remuneration;
c.
To
abolish the dependencies of the General Secretariat that become
unnecessary;
d.
To
redistribute the functions of existing dependencies, incorporating some
into others or dividing or subdividing them, whenever necessary for the
greater efficiency of the services and better execution of the programs,
provided that no increase in the expenditures budgeted for those services
or programs is involved;
e.
When
strictly necessary, to contract for special or technical services of
natural or juridical persons; and
f.
To
issue and apply the administrative provisions necessary for the proper
functioning of the General Secretariat.
The Secretary General shall exercise this authority in accordance with
these General Standards and the budgetary provisions established by the General
Assembly.
Article 13. Other
Powers. It is also the
responsibility of the Secretary General:
a.
To
carry out the provisions of a regulatory nature adopted by the Permanent
Council in accordance with Article 91 (b) of the Charter;
b.
To
appoint the Executive Secretary for Integral Development with the approval
of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) and taking
into account the recommendations of the Management Board of the
Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD).[2]
c.
With
the prior authorization of the General Assembly, pursuant to Article 7 of
the Charter, to accept signature of the Charter and the deposit of the
corresponding instrument of ratification by the representative of a state
wishing to become a member of the Organization; and
d.
With
the authorization of the General Assembly, to conclude agreements that
define the relations that should exist between the Organization and each
Inter-American Specialized Organization.
Article 14. Responsibility.
The Secretary General is responsible for compliance with these General
Standards.
Article 15. The
Assistant Secretary General. The
Assistant Secretary General shall be the Secretary of the Permanent Council.
He shall serve as advisory officer to the Secretary General and shall act
as his delegate in all matters that the Secretary General may entrust to him.
During the temporary absence or disability of the Secretary General, the
Assistant Secretary General shall perform his duties.
In the event that the office of Secretary General becomes vacant, the
Assistant Secretary General shall assume the duties of that office until the
General Assembly elects a new Secretary General for a full term, and until the
newly-elected Secretary General takes office.
Article 16. Autonomy,
Privileges and Immunities, and Rank. In
the performance of their duties, the Secretary General and the Assistant
Secretary General shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or
from any authority outside the Organization and shall refrain from any action
that may be incompatible with the position as international officers responsible
only to the Organization.
In accordance with Article 134 of the Charter, the pertinent bilateral
agreements between the Member States and the General Secretariat of the
Organization and the multilateral agreements in force, the Secretary General and
the Assistant Secretary General shall enjoy the privileges and immunities
corresponding to their positions and necessary for the independent performance
of their duties.
In all protocolary acts that they attend in performance of their official
duties, the Secretary General and the Assistant Secretary General shall have
rank equivalent to that of Ambassador.
