About Us Agreement Joint Commission with Liberia

AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA

AND

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

ON

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT COMMISSION

The Government of the Republic of India and The Government of the Republic of Liberia (hereinafter referred to as the "Parties");

TAKING into account the longstanding relation and cooperation that exist between the two countries;

DESIRING to strengthen and consolidate existing political, economical, technical, scientific, social, judicial and cultural cooperation between the two countries;

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Establishment and Composition

1.      The Parties hereby agree to establish a Joint Commission (hereinafter referred to as "the Commission").

2.      The Commission shall be held between the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia and may include Ministers, Officials and experts responsible for agreed fields of cooperation.

 

Article 2

Objective of the Commission

The Commission's objectives shall be:

a.      To consider issues arising in the course of implementation of this Agreement and other cooperation agreements that the Parties have concluded or may conclude;

b.      To study and propose possibilities for further development of political, security, judicial, human resource development, economic, technical, scientific, social and cultural cooperation; and

c.      To take decision on any problem that might arise in the course of implementation of this Agreement based on proposals or recommendations by the relevant committees.

 

Article 3

Areas of Cooperation

1.      The areas of co-operation shall be political, security, social, human resource development, economic, cultural, scientific, judicial and technical. However, these areas may be extended by a decision of the Commission.

2.      The Commission may propose to the Parties the conclusion of the appropriate agreements necessary to give effect to the areas of cooperation.

Article 4

Meetings

1.      The Commission shall convene meetings alternately in Liberia and India, once every two years on dates to be mutually agreed upon through diplomatic channels. The Commission may, however, hold extraordinary meetings upon specific request by either Party.

2.      The head of delegation of the host country shall chair the meeting of the Commission whereas the other Party shall co-chair.

3.      Meetings of the commission may be attended by the necessary number of senior officials and experts of the Parties.

4.      Decisions and other conclusions of the Commission, which shall be made by consensus, shall take the form of agreed minutes and be signed by both heads of delegation. The Commission may issue joint communique at the end of each session.

Article 5

Agenda

1.      The Commission shall conduct its meetings as per the approved working schedule and on this Agreement between the Chairpersons. Schedules of regular meetings and the preliminary agenda shall be settled by the Chairpersons through consultations at least two months before each meeting date.

2.      Any amendments or additional issues to the proposed agenda to be discussed by the Commission shall be communicated to the other Party one month prior to the date of a meeting. The Commission shall adopt its draft agenda at the commencement of the meeting.

 

Article 6

Decisions

1.      In urgent matters the Chairpersons shall have the right, with mutual consent to take decisions in the period between meetings of the Commission. The Decisions of the Chairpersons shall be included in the agreed minutes of the next meeting of the Commission.

2.      Those decisions that, according to the statement of one of the Chairpersons have to be approved by authorized bodies of its respective country shall come into force on the date of notification by the Chairperson about their approval.

 

Article 7

Committees

1.      In order to fulfill its tasks or deal with specific matters on agenda the Commission may set up permanent and/or provisional committees composed of heads of relevant Government departments of the parties. The heads of each committee shall report on their activities to the Commission.

2.      The Commission shall determine the tasks, terms of reference and Commission of permanent and provisional committees that shall carry out their work as per the plan and decisions approved by the Commission.

 

Article 8

Expenses

1.      Each Party shall bear its own expenses, including hotel accommodation, incurred with regard to its participation in any meetings of the Commission, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties.

2.      Expenses for organizing the Commission's meeting and the work of its permanent and provisional committees shall be borne by the country hosting a meeting.

 

Article 9

Settlement of Dispute

Any dispute arising out of the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement shall be settled amicably through consultations or negotiations between the Parties through diplomatic channels.

 

Article 10

Amendment

This Agreement may be amended only by mutual agreement of the Parties through an exchange of notes through diplomatic channels. The amendment shall enter into force after the procedure laid down under Article 11(1) of this Agreement is complied with.

Article 11

Entry into force

1.      This Agreement shall come into force from the date of receipt of the last written notification by one of the Parties, informing the other of the completion of internal procedures necessary for the enforcement of this Agreement.

 

Article 12

Validity

1.      This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of five [5] years and shall be renewed automatically for equal and successive period, unless either of the Parties notifies the other in writing, through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate this Agreement, at least six [6] months in advance.

2.      Termination of this Agreement shall not affect programs or projects already commenced.

In witness whereof, the undersigned duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

Done at New Delhi on this 11th day of September, 2013, in two original copies, each in English and Hindi languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of discrepancy, the English text shall prevail.

For the Government of the Republic of India

For the Government of the Republic of Liberia

Salman Khurshid

Minister of External Affairs

Government of Republic of India

Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Government of Republic of Liberia