Roles and Activities of IGA's Country Representatives

Profile
A Country Representative (CR) must:

• Have a good knowledge of the goat sector and goat experts in his own country (teachers, researchers, veterinarians, farmers’ representatives, extension officers, project officers, decision makers in the goat sector, etc.)
• Be an IGA member, having paid the annual membership fees.
• Be easily reachable by e-mail, phone or by fax.
• Country Representatives cannot assume that function and be board members.

Specific Roles

• To communicate directly with members of IGA.
• ​To disseminate IGA information to all colleagues working in the goat sector.
• To inform colleagues about IGA activities.
• To inform the IGA President or Regional Director of all goat activities in-country (meetings, theses, research and development projects, trends of the goat sector).
• To identify in-country goat specialists likely to commit to IGA activities and to become IGA members.
• To expand the membership of the IGA, especially in their country.

Specific Activities

• To maintain a relationship with all in-country IGA members to have a full awareness on what the members require from IGA.
• To initiate contacts with IGA members from neighboring countries when they have similar concerns.
• To answer messages coming from the President, Board officers and Regional Directors.
• To participate in Board Members’ Electronic Conferences only if required by the IGA president of the secretariat but, if possible, to participate physically at Board meetings.
• To request help from IGA if assistance is needed to fulfill his/her duties, and to offer suggestions regarding how IGA can better support Country Representatives or members.
• To participate in IGA activities and to be involved in IGA projects.
• To provide an annual report of goat production in their country to the IGA.
• To provide additional information for the IGA website and newsletter through other reports, papers, etc.

Nomination

• IGA members in any country can nominate one or more among them to represent IGA in their country. Request for representation shall be certified in writing to the President of IGA and should include letters of support from other members from that country or members of the IGA's Board of Directors. The Board of Directors can also nominate country representatives. The nominees must be members of IGA in good standing. 
• After the nomination has been accepted, the candidate must provide the IGA Secretariat with information concerning their role in the goat sector in his country together with a C.V. Their candidature should have the support of the President or two members of the Board of Directors. Their candidature will have to be approved by a vote of the Board of Directors.
• Country Representatives should inform the IGA President, their Regional Director and the Secretariat if they change positions in the goat sector, changes to their postal or e-mail addresses, and fax and telephone numbers.

Resignation and Renewal

• Each CR may resign without warning by sending a letter to the IGA Secretariat. The President and the Board of Directors reserve the right to appoint additional CR at will. At each Board renewal, every 4 years, all CRs will have to be confirmed.
• If IGA has no contact with a CR for 1 (one) year or if the CR does not renew his membership, IGA will be entitled to dismiss a CR.