Conference of Parties (COP)

The function of the ordinary meetings of the Contracting Parties is to keep under review the implementation of this Convention and its protocols and, in particular:

• To consider information submitted by the Contracting Parties under article 23;
• To adopt, review and amend annexes to this Convention and to its related protocols, in accordance with the provisions of article 20;
• To make recommendations regarding the adoption of any additional protocols or amendments to this Convention or its protocols in accordance with the provisions of articles 18 and 19;
• To establish working groups as required to consider any matters concerning this Convention and its protocols;
• To assess periodically the state of the environment in the Convention area;
• To consider cooperative activities to be undertaken within the framework of this Convention and its protocols, including their financial and institutional implications, and to adopt decisions relating thereto;
• To consider and undertake any additional action that may be required for the achievement of the purposes of this Convention and its protocols.

The Organization shall convene the first ordinary meeting of the Contracting Parties within nine months of the date on which the Convention enters into force in accordance with article 29.

Extraordinary meetings shall be convened at the request of any Contracting Party or upon the request of the Organization, provided that such requests are supported by a two-thirds majority of the Contracting Parties. It shall be the function of the extraordinary meeting of the Contracting Parties to consider only those items proposed in the request for the holding of the extraordinary meeting.

At the commencement of the first sitting of each ordinary meeting, a President, a Vice-President and a Rapporteur are elected from among the representatives of the Contracting Parties to constitute a Bureau.

The Bureau assists in the general conduct of the business of the meeting and serves in that capacity at any intervening extraordinary meeting or conference.

The Bureau also serves to:

• Exercise decision-making powers on substantive issues related to implementation of the Convention and its protocols between ordinary meetings of the Contracting Parties, with a view, inter alia, to promoting the active participation of the Eastern African States in the Convention;
• to review preparations for the ordinary and extraordinary meeting;
• and to provide guidance to the Secretariat of the Convention and making adjustments in the programme and budget as necessary within the framework of the decisions made by the meetings

Members of the Bureau

Currently, the Members of the Bureau as elected on August 22 2024, by the Heads of Delegation to the Eleventh Conference of Parties (COP 11) to the Nairobi Convention are:

1. Chair of the Bureau –  United Republic of Tanzania 🇹🇿
2. Vice Chair (Work Programme) Mauritius 🇲🇺
3. Vice Chair (Resource Mobilization)  South Africa 🇿🇦
4. Vice Chair (Coordination) Somalia 🇸🇴
5. Rapporteur Madagascar 🇲🇬 

The members of the Bureau are elected for a two-year term and up to two of them may be re-elected for one additional term.