Artikel VIII

(a). The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary-General, Directors and such other personnel as the Organization may require.
(b). The Secretary-General shall maintain all such records as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of the work of the Organization and shall prepare, collect, and circulate any documentation that may be required.
(c). The Secretary-General shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organization.
(d). The Secretary-General shall:
(i) Prepare and submit to the Finance Committee and the Council the financial statements for each year and budget estimates on a three-year basis, with the estimates for each year shown separately; and
(ii) Keep Member States informed with respect to the activities of the Organization.
(e). The Secretary-General shall perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the Convention, the Assembly or the Council.
(f). In the performance of their duties, the Secretary-General, the Directors and the personnel shall not seek or receive instructions from any Member State or from any authority external to the Organization. They shall refrain from any action that may be incompatible with their positions as international officials. Each Member State on its part undertakes to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General, the Directors and the personnel and not seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities