Arab Towns Organization

ATO Structure

Arab Towns Organization is composed of the following three main bodies :

The General Congress: It is the highest authority of the organization entrusted with the formulation of its general policies and legislation. The Congress comprises representatives of member towns' municipalities. It is convened in an ordinary session every three years in an Arab town.
The Permanent Bureau: It is some form of a Board of Directors for the organization which supervises the regular running of its activities, as well as making decisions concerning matters that ensue between one meeting of the Congress and the one that follows. It is convened in an ordinary session once every year. The PB is composed of Mayors of all Arab capitals, Mayors of 11 other member towns elected by the Congress, Mayor of the town where the next session of the Congress will be held and the Mayor of the town where the session of the PB is held.
The General Secretariat: It is the executive body of ATO headed by a Secretary General elected by the Congress assisted by an administrative and technical body headed by a Director General appointed by the PB.
The General Secretariat is divided into three main sectors of several departments each:
1. Foreign and Technical/IT sector
2. Information and Publishing sector
Administrative and Financial sector
A Deputy Director General chairs each sector.