Cameroon (2) Each year, the National Assembly shall hold 3 (three) ordinary sessions, each lasting not more than 30 (thirty) days. (a) At the opening of its first ordinary session, the National Assembly shall elect its President and Bureau members. (b) The National Assembly shall, during one of its sessions, adopt the State budget. Where such budget is not adopted before the end of the current financial year, the President of the Republic shall be empowered to extend the previous budget by one-twelfth until a new one is passed. (3) The National Assembly shall meet in extraordinary session for not more than 15 (fifteen) days on a specific agenda and at the request of the President of the Republic or of one-third of its members. The extraordinary session shall wind up as soon as the agenda for which it was convened is exhausted. Article 17 (1) Sittings of the National Assembly shall be public. Exceptionally, the National Assembly may hold sittings in camera at the request of the President of the Republic or of an absolute majority of its members. (2) The National Assembly shall, in a law, draw up its standing orders. Article 18 (1) The agenda of the National Assembly shall be drawn up by the Chairmen's conference. (2) The Chairmen's conference shall be composed of Presidents of Parliamentary Groups, Chairmen of Committees and members of the Bureau of the National Assembly. A member of Government shall participate in the conference meeting. http://confinder.richmond.edu/Cameroon.htm (14 of 71)4/12/2005 10:53:07 AM