38. A draft resolution is a substantive document related to a specific topic on the agenda submitted for decision. Draft resolutions may be submitted to a Committee or Council folder in Google Docs.
39. No single delegation may be the original sponsor of more than one resolution in each Committee.
40. A motion or proposal may be altered by a friendly amendment meaning a change agreed to by all sponsors of that motion or proposal. Such amendments must be announced to the Chair. All other amendments are unfriendly. Such ordinary amendments must be moved and seconded and submitted in writing to the Chair at the time the motion is made. An amendment moved and seconded will be debated and voted on in accordance with the rules for debate and voting of the main motion or proposal. Motions to introduce proposals or amendments (or any other motion, for that matter) may be made either in a speech or after being recognized by the Chair.
41. Once the decision on a proposal or amendment has been announced, any delegate who voted with the majority may move for its reconsideration. A two-thirds majority is required for reconsideration. If such a majority is forthcoming, a re-vote will be taken. The Chair may rule such motions dilatory. This ruling is subject to appeal.
42. Once a Committee or the Executive Council decides to open discussion on a draft resolution under an agenda topic or sub-topic, the Chair may allow procedurally correct points of inquiry directed to the main sponsor(s). Following any points of inquiry, the Chair will establish a speakers list of no more than ten. Those wishing to speak will raise their placards and will be assigned a position on the list. The Chair will call upon delegates to speak in the order they appear on the speakers list. Delegates may request to be added to the list any number of times until the Chair limits the number of times a delegate may speak, closes the speakers list, or debate is closed by a motion. Once a specific speakers list is exhausted, any delegate may move to reopen the speakers list. This motion must be seconded and is not debatable. Debate will continue until it is suspended or closed, the meeting is suspended or adjourned, or the speakers list is exhausted (once exhausted, the Chair will announce closure of debate and bring the proposal, if any, to an immediate vote).
43. During discussion of a topic, a delegate may make a motion for an unmoderated caucus. The delegate making the motion must specify an amount of time for the caucus. The adoption of this motion requires a majority of members present and voting. If passed, the unmoderated caucus allows delegates to move around the room, converse, and negotiate with each other without any formal rules or limitations. Due to the unstructured nature of these suspensions, delegates are permitted no more than 30 minutes of unmoderated caucus time for every hour of debate. Delegates are encouraged not to spend more time in unmoderated caucuses than necessary-they are most useful for the writing of draft language.
44. During discussion of a topic, a delegate may make a motion for a moderated caucus. The delegate will specify the amount of time for the caucus and the topic to be moderated. In a moderated caucus the Committee/Council remains in session but operates informally. The Chair will recognize delegations that wish to speak in turn at the Chair’s discretion. No speakers list is used. The moderated caucus may be used as a question-and-answer period, or as a means to facilitate a discussion of draft provisions.
45. When speakers list is used, the speakers shall be given one and a half minutes. The Chair will call speakers to order if they exceed their time. The Chair shall ensure that all delegates have equal opportunity to participate in debate.
46. Prior to beginning his/her speech, a delegate may request that all or part of his/her time be yielded to another. Once yielded, time may not be yielded a second time.
47. A delegate may speak to the draft resolution, amendments moved thereto and the agenda topic, or all the above while on a particular speakers list.
48. A Point of Inquiry may be used to question a speaker after he/she has finished his/her remarks: a questioner will address the Point to the Chair, who will then ask the speaker if he/she wishes to yield. In order to ask a second question, a second Point of Inquiry will have to be raised, and the speaker again asked to yield. The Chair will ensure that Points of Inquiry are only used to raise questions of clarification or for additional information.
49. A delegate may make a motion to suspend debate on a draft resolution at any time. The Chair will allow two speakers for the Suspension and two against, and will limit time. Speeches must be germane to the suspension only. After the speeches, an immediate vote will be taken, a simple majority being necessary. Once suspended, debate on a proposal or a topic may not be resumed until a resumption of debate motion is made and passed by a simple majority. This motion is not debatable.
50. At any time prior to the exhaustion of the speakers list, a delegate may move closure of debate on a proposal or amendment. The Chair will allow two speakers against closure (only) and will limit time and ensure that the remarks are germane to the closure. A vote will immediately follow the speeches, with a two-thirds majority necessary.
51. After the debate is closed, either through exhaustion of the speaker list or a successful closure motion, the proposed resolution or amendment will come to an immediate vote. If debate is closed on a topic, proposed resolutions will be voted on in the order they were submitted to the Secretariat. If adopting one resolution necessarily implies excluding a subsequent proposed resolution, this latter resolution shall be ruled out of order.
52. The Committees shall establish an order of presentation of their resolutions to the Assembly.
53. Committees shall deliberate and act upon individual resolutions until the time for the meeting has ended or the agenda is exhausted. The passing of several resolutions together as a group is prohibited.
54. Resolutions passed by Committees shall be processed by the Secretariat in consultation
with Committee Officers for presentation to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The Officers of the Executive Council shall prepare a report and submit it to the
Secretariat on the work of the Council to be presented at the meeting of the Assembly
of Heads of State and Government.
