In accordance with Rule 8, the Meeting was opened by the President of the Coordinating Committee, Dr N Assegaf (Indonesia), who then presided over the election of the President of the Meeting. According to Rule 7, the meeting would be chaired by a woman member of the host Parliament of the 124th Assembly. Accordingly, Ms Dana Castaneda Guardia, Second Vice President of the National Assembly of Panama, was nominated and elected by acclamation. Ms Shope-Sithole seconded the nomination.