Recognising the facts that:
(i) the problems of environmental pollution by, among
others, pesticides have for some time now, been serious in most industrialised
countries;
(ii) most of these problems are still arrestable in most
of the developing countries;
(iii) unfortunately, in developing countries like most
of the Africa countries, pollution is virtually being allowed to progress
unabated;
(iv) whereas in the developed countries, the potential
hazards of pesticides to the environment and public health are well known,
documented and monitored; and appropriate measures are already
instituted to manage and/or prevent them, only the reverse
can be claimed for most of the developing countries;
(v) with respect to pesticides, the situation is aggravated
by the fact that due to poverty and to some extent, ignorance, these countries
import the cheapest pesticides whose long term environmental and public
health effects are already declared undesirable in the developed countries;
(vi) this is a potentially suicidal situation because
the present ecosystem, which took billions of years to evolve into
an ecologically balanced and self sustainable entity may not survive this
onslaught; and that
(vii) without quality/safety assurance of her agricultural
and aquatic products, a key condition in international trade, the products
competitiveness on the world market and thus Africa’s poverty eradication
endeavours are greatly compromised,
PESTICIDE EXPERTS FROM THE AFRICA REGION, MEETING AT THE
REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON PESTICIDE RESIDUE ANALYSIS HELD IN KAMPALA, UGANDA
ON THE 26TH OF JULY 2002, UNANIMOUSLY AGREE TO FORM THE AFRICAN NETWORK
FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDES HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS "ANCAP"
ESTABLISH HEREBY THE FOLLOWING CONSTITUTION OF ANCAP.
1.2 Status
ANCAP shall be a non-governmental, non-political, non-sectarian and non-profit making scientific body devoted to the study, promotion and development of the science of all aspects of chemical analysis of pesticides, including residue analyses, degradation and environmental fate with the overall objective of not only safeguarding public health and the environment, but also ensuring the safety of African agricultural and aquatic products thus making them competitive on the world market, thereby significantly contributing to the region’s poverty eradication endeavours.
1.3 Aims and Objectives
- To initiate, develop and promote research in the area of chemical analyses of pesticides in the Africa region;
- To coordinate and maintain inter-and intra-regional links among different research groups;
- To disseminate information pertaining to research on chemical pesticides;
- To promote pesticide chemical analysis research capacity and training programmes;
- To foster and maintain research links with scientists in other parts of the world who are actively working in specific areas of chemical analysis of pesticides that are pertinent to Africa and the developing countries in general.
- To establish the prerequisite policy and implementation mechanisms for co-ordinating the efforts of individual scientists of the region in the area of pesticide chemical analysis research,
- To initiate and help institutionalise quality assurance programmes for the region’s agricultural, industrial and aquatic products so as to make them competitive on the world market
- To give advise, based on sound scientific findings, to pertinent decision makers in the region on the use and/or disuse of certain pesticides.
- To establish cooperation and collaboration with national and international organizations with similar objectives for the promotion of safe-use of pesticide chemicals and their environmental analysis and research
There shall be four types of memberships of ANCAP,
namely Full, Associate, Honorary and Corporate memberships. The ANCAP Governing
Board, hereinafter referred to as the "Board", shall have the power to
determine eligibility for such memberships and the corresponding fees and
yearly subscriptions as it deems necessary and appropriate in the interests
of ANCAP.
2.1 Full Membership
Full membership may be granted upon application
to any scientist engaged in any laboratory engaged in any aspect of pesticide
chemical analysis research and who has published in refereed journal(s).
The full membership fee shall be USD 100 per annum for
a laboratory.
2.2 Associate Membership
Associate membership may be granted upon application
by any other researcher or research staff actively working in the field
of chemical analysis of pesticides in a laboratory. Associate membership
fee shall be USD 50 per annum.
2.3 Honorary Membership
Honorary membership may be granted upon nomination
by the ANCAP board to outstanding individuals with substantial contribution
to the development of pesticide research as deemed worthy by the Board.
Honorary membership shall be offered gratis.
2.4 Cooporate Membership
Cooperate membership may be granted to cooporation,
company or institution upon nomination by the Board. Cooperate membership
fee shall be USD 1000 per annum.
2.5 Membership Obligations, Rights and Privileges
Each ANCAP member shall have obligations, rights
and privileges as stipulated by the provisions of this constitution, as
well as the interpretations made by the Board and national branches.
The ANCAP Coordinating office shall be located at
the country of residence of the Network's Executive Secretary and Assistant
Secretary/Treasurer for the duration of their terms of office, where it
shall be registered as a regional network.
The ANCAP Coordinating Board shall consist of the
following office bearers:
(a) The Executive Secretary;
(b) Assistant Secretary/Treasurer;
(c) One National Coordinator (NC) from each ANCAP branch;
(d) Ex-officio Representatives of Donor Agencies;
(e) A Programme Officer of ANCAP Coordinating Office
(ex-officio).
5.1 The Board shall be charged with the following
powers and duties:
a) Operationalize the aims and objectives of ANCAP;
b) In consultation with members of ANCAP to ratify or
amend the ANCAP Constitution as it deems appropriate for the better fulfilment
of the Network's aims and objectives;
c) Make such rules and regulations under this Constitution
as it deems necessary in the interest of ANCAP;
d) Enter into agreements with other organizations for
enhancing the capabilities of ANCAP in the pursuit of its objectives;
e) Delegate the exercise of its powers under this Constitution
to the Executive Secretary for conducting the affairs of ANCAP smoothly
and efficiently.
f) Shall meet once every year and shall decide the activities
of the subsequent year
g) Elect a chairman for each of its meetings, who shall
be elected at an annual Board meeting
5.2 The Executive Secretary shall:
(a) Authorize use of Network funds;
(b) Supervise and coordinate the activities of
other office bearers;
(c) Act as editor of the Network Newsletter;
(d) Provide the necessary leadership and directives
for the effective implementation of ANCAP's objectives;
(e) Prepare and keep records of human, financial
and physical assets of ANCAP;
(f) Take initiatives in fund raising efforts
(g) Facilitate the formation of national branches
5.3 The Assistant Secretary/Treasurer shall:
(a) Be the chief custodian of all office records
and financial documents;
(b) Take minutes of all Board meetings;
(c) Organize fund raising compaigns;
(d) Work in close collaboration with the Executive
Secretary in managing the affairs of the coordinating office
5.4 The Programme Officer, ANCAP Coordinating Office,
shall:
(a) Work closely with the Network Executive Secretary
and Treasurer in the management and coordination of ANCAP's activities;
(b) Supervise and coordinate the day-to-day affairs
of the Coordinating Office;
(c) Prepare the Network's draft annual budget and
programmes;
(d) Assist in the preparation of the Network's
regular financial and work progress reports;
(e) Perform such other duties as charged by the
Executive Secretary.
(a) Promote the formation of ANCAP national offices.
a) Carry out its activities and seek additional resources
for its ANCAP activities
b) Elect its own officials.
6.1 The Executive Secretary and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer
shall hold office for four years and shall be eligible for re-election
for another term,
6.2 NCs shall be elected at least once every four years.
8.1 Ammendment
The constitution shall be amended by agreement by voting
of two thirds of the members present on the meeting.
8.2 Dissolution
In the event of dissolution, the assets of ANCAP shall
be donated to such non-profit making education and research institutions
in Africa as the Board shall decide at the time of dissolution.