LoA UNEP-UNEPCOM

News Feeds:

LETTER OF AGREEMENT
between
the United Nations Environment Programme
and
the Russian National Committee for UNEP

This Letter of Agreement is concluded between the United Nations Environment Programme, hereinafter referred to as UNEP, P.O. Box 39552, Nairobi, Kenya, on the one hand, and the Russian National Committee for UNEP hereinafter referred to as UNEPCOM, 35, Shkolnaya St., 109544 Moscow, Russia, on the other.

Recognizing the important role of civil society in gathering support for the protection and enhancement of the human environment as an essential precondition and component of sustainable development in Russia, and stressing the necessity for the active participation and collaboration of UNEPCOM with UNEP in order to make its programme and activities better known by the public and thereby create more understanding and support for UNEP's work, UNEPCOM and UNEP concluded this Agreement further to their LoA of 26 May 1999.

1. THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE THAT:

1.1. UNEP shall:

	consider UNEPCOM as a multi-stakeholder support organization and a channel for communication and collaboration with civil society, including business sector in the Russian Federation in line with UNEP's Policy and Operational procedures (UNEP/PS/1996/1 -or a reference to a more recent guidance if any);
	provide support to UNEPCOM regularly through information materials and advice on UNEP's activities and programmes, as well as those within the UN system that relate to the environment and sustainable development, considering UNEPCOM as an information centre for UNEP documents and publications in Russia, which acts in liaison with the UN Information Centre in Moscow;
	support a positive image and role of UNEPCOM in Russia, in particular under UNEP's contacts with appropriate governmental bodies and other organizations in the country;
	inform UNEPCOM through the UNEP Moscow office as appropriate on planned visits of UNEP officials to Russia, UNEP programmes and projects involving Russia and involve UNEPCOM, where this is feasible, in their implementation;
	invite UNEPCOM to participate or channel other Russian institutions' expertise in carrying out UNEP technical assistance in the country and abroad if appropriate;
	rely on and welcome a UNEPCOM pro-active role in UNEP outreach activities in Russia.

1.2. UNEPCOM shall:

	promote awareness about environmental activities of UNEP and UN in general among all sectors of the civil society of Russia;
	lift, where this is feasible, the profile of environmental issues and UNEP's programmes;
	promote UNEP's activities in the Russian Federation and assist in mobilizing resources for this purpose:
	furnish periodic reports as appropriate and an annual report of its UNEP-related activities;
	carry out any other activities in furtherance of the objectives of the proposed cooperation in line with the aims and objectives of UNEP;
	contribute, at UNEP's invitation to participate in international environmental expertise on the territory of the Russian Federation or abroad;
	maintain close contacts and liaise with other UNEP National Committees, keeping UNEP ROE informed.

1.3. UNEP and UNEPCOM confirm their commitments on earlier agreements concluded between them and shall support each other in their activities on environmental issues that have global, regional and national relevance within Russia and within the framework of their respective mandates.

2. GENERAL AND LEGAL MODALITIES

UNEPCOM shall be considered as having legal status of an independent contractor. Agents or employees of the contractor shall not be considered in any respect as being officials or staff members of UNEP

Should the proposed UNEPCOM activities need the use of the UNEP logo in its brochures and publications, prior approval of the design should be obtained from UNEP Headquarters. This process can be facilitated in consultation with the UNEP Regional Office for Europe.

UNEPCOM shall neither seek nor accept instructions from any authority external to UNEP in connection with the performance of services covered under this Agreement. UNEPCOM shall refrain from any action which may adversely affect UNEP or the United Nations and shall fulfill its commitments with the fullest regard for the interest of the United Nations.

ARBITRATION - Any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall, if attempts at settlement by negotiation fail, be submitted to arbitration by a single arbitrator agreed by both parties. Should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of their request for arbitration, then each party shall proceed to appoint one and the two arbitrators shall agree on the third. Failing such agreement, either party must request the appointment of the third arbitrator by the President of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal. The arbitrator shall rule on costs, which may be divided between the parties. The
decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute the final adjudication of the dispute.

Nothing in or relating to this Letter of Agreement shall be deemed as waiver or any of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.

Parties when agreed can make additions to the Agreement with the aim of its renewing or actualization.

alt