Historically, the hosting Agency provided the meeting Chairman. While this worked well for meetings, it created a vacuum between meetings when significant work could have been accomplished. Accordingly, it has been decided by IOAG Delegates attending the IOP-2 meeting that a Chairman should be appointed for a term to ensure continuity between meetings.

The IOAG Chairman will be a senior person belonging to one of the Member Agencies, involved in his agency in Operations, Communications and Navigations activities, and who is cognizant and experienced with the IOAG organization, objectives and procedures.

Term
The IOAG Chairman shall be appointed by the Delegates at an IOAG meeting for a period of two years with an option for renewal for a third year by agreement of the Delegates and acceptance by the standing Chairman.

Before the end of the term and well in advance of the last IOAG meeting to be chaired by the departing Chairman, the IOAG Secretariat will issue a call for candidates so that they are known by the Heads of Delegations and a new Chairman may be appointed at that meeting.

Such nomination and any potential renewal shall require an approval by at least 60 percent of the Full Members.

Responsibilities
The IOAG Chairman is responsible for the smooth functioning of the IOAG. In doing so, he can delegate tasks to the IOAG Secretariat. Generally speaking, the responsibilities of the IOAG Chairman are to:
  • Elaborate an IOAG Work Plan directly derived from the resolutions of the most recent IOP meeting and that addresses the tasks and actions decided by the IOAG.
  • Consult with IOAG Agencies to prepare the Agenda for IOAG meetings.
  • Determine the duration of an IOAG meeting based on the Agenda.
  • Ensure the completion of the Action Items defined in the Work Plan or those assigned during the meetings, in a timely manner.
  • Call for inter-sessional teleconferences and/or videoconferences on more focused subjects.
  • Preside over IOAG meetings.
  • Tabulate the opinions of IOAG Agencies in order to reach an IOAG decision.
  • Ensure that work between meetings progresses in an orderly and timely fashion.
Duties
The IOAG Chairman has a duty to ensure that IOAG meetings progress in accordance with recognized parliamentary procedures. He shall have the authority to end or postpone discussion or debate as he deems appropriate.
Neutrality
Since the IOAG’s formation and before the present procedures became applicable, the Chairman has always been the Head of Delegation of the Hosting agency. The IOAG Chairman is in a unique position of being responsible for the orderly progress of business during and between meetings. Nevertheless, he has no voting right or final decision associated to his position. Therefore, it is desirable that the Chairman has the appearance of neutrality but may also serve as his Agency’s Head of Delegation.