Chairing a Conference
CHAIRING A CONFERENCE
The Chair is almost never alone. The Chair is supported, in varying degrees, by all delegations and the Secretariat. But the Chair carries primary responsibility for the conduct of business in a Committee.
At the UN, several presiding officers oversee formal meetings: the PGA or VPs who preside over Plenary meetings of the GA, and the Chairs of subsidiary bodies (committees, working groups, etc.). In addition, there are Chairs of various political groups. These Chairs usually act as spokespersons for their groups and lead sponsors of resolutions. They are also entitled to convene meetings.
Note that only the presiding officers of the GA Plenary meetings—and those of its subsidiary bodies (i.e., committees, working groups, expert groups)—are part of the formal structure of the conference. The other Chairs, although outside the formal structure, nevertheless play important roles in its work.
How Chairs are chosen in a Model UN conference is set out in the Step-by-Step Organization of the GA (see Chapter 4, pages 51 – 62).
The PGA or the Chair of a GA Committee works to ensure that the business of the Plenary/Committee meetings is conducted in an orderly and efficient manner, and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Because the presiding officers represent all Member States, they cannot simultaneously represent one of the participating delegations.
Another essential role of the Chair is to ensure that the conference conducts its business in a manner appropriate to the Rules of Procedure and the mandate, and the wishes of the conference.
The Chair is responsible for many duties, including allocating work, managing time, and keeping the debate orderly.
One important task of the Chair is to make sure the Committee achieves the substantive outcome set out in its Programme of Work.