Modalities for the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development A/RES/70/303 3. The Secretary-General of the United Nations or her/his representative shall direct the staff required by the Conference. designated Rule 15 Duties of the secretariat of the Conference The secretariat of the Conference shall, in accordance with the present rules: (a) Provide simultaneous interpretation of speeches made at meetings; (b) Receive, translate, reproduce and circulate the documents of the Conference; (c) Publish and circulate the official documents of the Conference; (d) Prepare and circulate records of public meetings; (e) Make and arrange for the keeping of sound recordings of meetings; (f) Arrange for the custody and preservation of the documents of the Conference in the archives of the United Nations; (g) Generally perform all other work that the Conference may require. Rule 16 Statements by the Secretariat The Secretary-General of the United Nations, or any member of the Secretariat designated for that purpose, may, at any time, make either oral or written statements concerning any question under consideration. V. Opening of the Conference Rule 17 Temporary President The Secretary-General of the United Nations or, in her/his absence, any member of the Secretariat designated by her/him for that purpose, shall open the first meeting of the Conference and preside until the Conference has elected its Presidents. Rule 18 Decisions concerning organization The Conference shall, at its first meeting: (a) Adopt its rules of procedure; (b) Elect its officers and constitute its subsidiary organs; (c) Adopt its agenda, the draft of which shall, until such adoption, be the provisional agenda of the Conference; (d) 12/22 Decide on the organization of its work.