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Mandates
The LOOP Coordinating Committee
(LCC)
This is composed of the NACIs and other Members in the LOOP structure
and the NECI which also serves as its executive arm or Secretariat. Thus,
there will be at least one representative from each member country and
from each of the other identified Associate Member bodies (where such
exist). The LCC's responsibilities are as follows:
- Promote, maintain and sustain the LOOP and its activities, by
securing the necessary commitment and financial support of LOOP member
governments and funding for core activities and Work Programmes from
donor agencies, and through good management of resources.
- Serve as the subregional advisory body on taxonomy and its
development in providing the best possible advice to LOOP member
governments, international organisations and donors and others on all
taxonomic matters in the region.
- Appoint and oversee the activities of the NECI and enable it to
serve as an effective Secretariat and executive arm of the LCC.
- Prescribe the mandates of all coordinating institutes within the
LOOP (NECI and NACIs) and terms of reference for Working Groups.
- Devise and enable the implementation of Work Programmes and other
activities designed to achieve LOOP objectives.
- Draw up the LOOP Budget for core activities and work programmes and
oversee use of allocated resources.
- Seek funding for specific programmes, from member country
contributions and funding agencies.
- Meet at least annually for the purpose of conducting LOOP business,
especially to evaluate progress and outputs in relation to inputs and
identify needs, with rotational venues if practical.
- To decide on inviting and/or approving applications for membership.
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The Network Coordinating Institute
(NECI)
This is the core of the LOOP and carries substantial responsibilities.
It is the centre for receipt, collation and distribution of information
and contacts. It is the Secretariat of the LOOP Coordinating Committee
(LCC). It is the link between the NACIs and the direct link between the
LOOP and TecSec and the link through TecSec with all other
BioNET-INTERNATIONAL LOOPs and with BIOCON. The designated NECI needs to
provide adequate logistical and operational support for the Network
Coordinator to fulfil their role.
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The responsibilities of the NECI are as follows:
- Coordinate the activities of the network in accordance with the
instruction and directions of the LCC.
- Prepare programmes of work and budgets as approved by the LCC and
with the appropriate support and inputs from NACI's and others.
- Draft reports on activities and the Annual Report of the network as
required by the LCC, again and with the appropriate support and inputs
from NACI's and others.
- Serve as, and provide an effective link between, the NACIs and the
Technical Secretariat.
- Collect, collate and disseminate information; issue a Newsletter at
agreed intervals (again dependent on receiving adequate contributions
from the NACIs and others).
- Organise LCC meetings.
- Serve as the repository of literature, documents and papers relating
to the network, as required.
- Liase with and facilitate the operation of Working Groups.
- Generally function as the executive arm of the LCC.
- Process funding proposals on behalf of the LCC where these have been
drafted by the LCC and others.
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The National Coordinating Institutes
(NACIs)
The NACI is the anchor-point of national activities, and has within it
at least one person designated as the National Coordinator to whom
responsibility for LOOP affairs is delegated (an 'alternate' should also
be designated).
The responsibilities of the NACI are as follows:
- Nominate a National Coordinator (person and post) and an 'alternate'
in the case of the non-availability at a particular time of the
nominated Coordinator, and allocate institutional time and budget within
that post to allow for the proper execution of NACI responsibilities.
- Designate and support the Coordinator to serve as the national
representative on the LCC and to implement the decisions and
recommendations of the LCC at national level.
- Coordinate a national network of NI's and national taxonomic
activities and programmes in support of the LOOP work programmes (which
are focussed on meeting national needs).
- Liase with and exchange information with other NACIs and the NECI on
a continuous basis.
- Provide, as delegated, leadership and/or support for Working Groups
and other programmes.
- Communicate, on a continuous basis, on all LOOP and
BioNET-INTERNATIONAL activities to and from National Institutes and to
and from the NECI.
- Liase with all CBD and GTI Focal Points of the subregion to ensure
the LOOP is supporting, where appropriate, subregional activities aimed
at implementing the CBD.
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National Institutes (NIs)
These are those Government institutes, organisations, services (e.g.
quarantine), NGO's and other private and public sector bodies which have
something to offer to LOOP activities or who need LOOP services (i.e. both
providers and users of taxonomic services and products). Together they
constitute the National Network within which the National Coordinator is
the focal point. Their responsibilities are as follows:
- Assist the NACI in the implementation of decisions and
recommendations of the LCC at national level.
- Contribute expertise, resources, information, research findings etc.
to the LOOP through the NACI and NECI.
- Actively participate in all feedback systems of the LOOP (e.g.
identification of needs, achievements, problems, solutions, new
knowledge, technologies, new records, newsletters etc.).
- Lead, support and facilitate, as delegated, and otherwise contribute
to Working Groups, and other LOOP programmes.
- Communicate on a monthly basis with the NECI and with the designated
National CBD and GTI Focal Points to report on LOOP activities (and
thereby assist the Focal Points in writing their National and other
reports) and learn of the latest progress in national implementation of
the CBD and other initiatives.
- Provide and maintain the GTI Programme Officer at the Secretariat of
the CBD with a list of national taxonomic experts, indicating which CBD
thematic areas and Cross-cutting issues they are expert in and including
their regularly updated contact details.
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Working Groups
The members of Working Groups consist of a group of specialists
appointed by the LOOP Coordinating Committee. The size of these groups may
vary according to the workload of the Working Group. The LCC may change
members or size of the various groups or modify their Terms of Reference
from time to time if necessary or useful. One member of each group should
function as the Focal Point for that Group, and be responsible for
maintaining the necessary contacts between the group members, other groups
and the NECI.
Working Groups should be established to deal with specific problems in
the region. Working Groups may be permanent, addressing matters that need
constant attention such as training, or may be temporary e.g. to deal with
difficult taxonomic group problems, suspected invasive alien introductions
etc.
The LCC should establish Terms of Reference for each Working Group, and
the Working Group should submit a Technical Report on activities,
conclusions and recommendations to the NECI to be presented and discussed
at the LCC.
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