The Role of Presiding Officers

Abstract

The ferocity with which many governments and sometimes individuals pursue the election of chairmen of an international conference or committee could give the impression that the position of presiding officer denotes enormous power, influence and prestige. In fact, the position of chairman bestows — in varying degrees, depending among other things on the importance of the conference — prestige and honour on the person and his country. However, the amount of power and influence of presiding officers is, as a rule, rather limited. The importance of a chairman’s role is governed by the following factors:

• the experience and intelligence of the chairman, including his grasp of the rules of procedure;

• the degree to which the delegates constitute a homogeneous group vis-à-vis the subject matter before the meeting, or are antagonists whether politically, or in relation to the substance of matters to be discussed;

• whether the chairman can operate as a team with the secretariat, the vice-chairmen, and the rapporteur.