ARTICLE 1 3 FUNCTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBL Y The functions of the General Assembly shall be to : 1 Elect the Chairperson of the General Assembly ; 2 3 4 Recommend to States Parties Ministers, f or approval, regi ona l R&D priorities for CCARDESA ; Approve, monitor and evaluate the CCARDESA strategi c direction ; Appoint, renew or terminate the services of External Auditors for CCARDESA ; 5 Recommend, to States Parties Ministers, new members o n CCARDESA Board identified by the sitting Board (self-generating Board) ; 6 Form its own committees, as necessary . ARTICLE 1 4 MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBL Y 1 . The General Assembly shall hold an ordinary meeting once every tw o years and may hold extraordinary meetings when necessary . 2 Ordinary meetings of the General Assembly shall be held at such tim e and venue which was determined during the previous meeting . The meeting shall ordinarily be organised at the most convenient location i n the territory of any State Party . 3 The CCARDESA Secretariat shall be the Secretariat to the Genera l Assembly. 4 An ordinary meeting shall be convened by the Secretariat by way o f written notice detailing time, date and venue and circulated to al l members of the General Assembly. Notification shall be circulated t o members not later than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the meeting . 5 Notification of meetings together with agenda and other documentatio n shall be circulated forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the meeting . Members shall be required to notify their attendance or that of an y mandated nominee and to submit items for any other business to th e Secretariat in writing not later than fourteen (14) days prior to the date o f the meeting . 6 Quorum at the meeting shall be constituted by simple majority of the tota l number of States Parties representatives present . 8