History of SAARC
1. The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first mooted in May 1980. The Foreign
Secretaries of the seven countries met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981. The Committee of the
Whole, which met in Colombo
in August 1981, identified five broad areas for regional cooperation. New areas
of cooperation were added in the following years. The South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally
adopted on 8 December 1985 by the Heads
of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka. The Association provides a platform for the peoples of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship,
trust and understanding. It aims to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through
accelerated economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the
region. Regional cooperation is seen as a complement to the bilateral and
multilateral relations of SAARC Member States. Decisions are taken on the basis
of unanimity. Bilateral and contentious issues are excluded from the
deliberations of SAARC.
2. Cooperation in the SAARC is based on
respect for the principles of-
(a)
Sovereign equality,
(b) Territorial integrity,
(c) Political independence,
(d) Noninterference in internal affairs of
the Member States and
(e) Mutual benefit.
3. The areas of cooperation under the reconstituted Regional
Integrated Programme of Action which is pursued through the Technical
Committees now cover: Agriculture and Rural Development; Health and Population
Activities; Women, Youth and Children; Environment and Forestry, Science and
Technology and Meteorology; Transport; and Human Resource Development. The Objectives of the Association as defined in the
Charter are:
(a) To promote the welfare of the peoples of South
Asia and to improve their quality of life;
(b) To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural
development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to
live in dignity and to realize their full potential;
(c) To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the
countries of South Asia ;
(d) To contribute to mutual trust, understand and appreciation of
one another's problem;
(e) To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the
economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields;
(f) To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
(g) To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international
forums on matters of common interest; and
(h) To cooperate with international and regional organizations
with similar aims and purposes.
Working
Groups have also been established in the areas of: Information and
Communications Technology (ICT); Biotechnology; Intellectual Property Rights
(IPR); Tourism; and Energy.
Summits,
which are the highest authority in SAARC, are to be held annually. The country
hosting the Summit
holds the Chair of the Association. Pakistan which hosted the Twelfth
Summit in January 2004 is the current Chairperson of the Association. The
Thirteenth Summit is scheduled to take place in Bangladesh in January 2005.
The
Council of Ministers comprising Foreign Ministers, meets at least twice a year.
Its functions include formulating policy, reviewing progress of regional
cooperation, identifying new areas of cooperation and establishing additional
mechanisms that may be necessary. The Standing Committee comprising Foreign
Secretaries, monitors and coordinates SAARC programs of cooperation, approves
projects including their financing and mobilizes regional and external
resources. It meets as often as necessary and reports to the Council of
Ministers.
The
Association also convenes meetings at Ministerial Level on specialized themes. The
Committee on Economic Cooperation consisting of Secretaries of Commerce
oversees regional cooperation in the economic field. The Agreement on SAARC
Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed in 1993 and four rounds of
trade negotiations have been concluded. With the objective of moving towards a
South Asian Economic Union (SAEU), the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area
(SAFTA) was signed during the Twelfth Summit in Islamabad in January 2004. SAFTA will enter
into force from January 2006.
The
Association has carried out Regional Studies on trade, manufactures and
services, environment and poverty alleviation, SAFTA and Customs matters.
SAARC SUMMITS HELD SINCE 1985
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1st SAARC
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7 - 8 December 1985
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2nd SAARC
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16 - 17 November 1986
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3rd SAARC
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2 - 4 November 1987
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4th SAARC
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29 - 31 December 1988
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5th SAARC
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21 - 23 November 1990
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Male'
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6th SAARC
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21 December 1991
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7th SAARC
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10 - 11 April 1993
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8th SAARC
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2 - 4 May 1995
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9th SAARC
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12 - 14 May 1997
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Male'
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10thSAARC
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29 - 31 July 1998
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11thSAARC
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4 - 6 January 2002
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12thSAARC
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2 - 6 January 2004
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During
the Twelfth Summit in Islamabad ,
the SAARC Social Charter was signed in order to address social issues such as
population stabilization, empowerment of women, youth mobilization, human
resource development, promotion of health and nutrition, and protection of
children, which are keys to the welfare and well-being of all South Asians. The
Governors of the Central Banks of Member States under the auspices of
SAARCFINANCE meet regularly to consider cooperation in financial matters.
For
strengthening cooperation in information and media related activities of the
Association, the Heads of National Television and Radio Organisations of Member
Countries meet annually. Similarly, the SAARC Audio-Visual Exchange (SAVE)
Committee disseminates information both on SAARC and its Member States
through regular Radio and TV Programmes.
DESIGNATED SAARC YEARS
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SAARC DECADES
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In
the field of education, the Member States cooperate through the forums of
SACODiL (SAARC Consortium on Open and Distance Learning), and Heads of
Universities Grants Commission/Equivalent Bodies.
The
South Asian States have adopted Conventions on the Suppression of Terrorism
(including Additional Protocol signed in January 2004 in Islamabad ),
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Trafficking in Women and Children,
and Child Welfare in South Asia . An Agreement
on Food Security Reserve is also in place.
The
Twelfth Summit renewed the urgency to deal with poverty in the region. For this
purpose, the Summit directed the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty
Alleviation (ISACPA) to submit to the next Summit a comprehensive and realistic
blue-print setting out SAARC Development Goals for the next five years in the
areas of poverty alleviation, education, health and environment.
Memoranda
of Understanding have been signed to promote collaboration with UNCTAD (United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development), UNICEF (United Nations Children's
Fund), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), UNESCAP (United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific), UNDCP (United Nations
Drug Control Programme), ITU (International Telecommunications Union), APT
(Asia Pacific Telecommunity), WHO (World Health Organization), UNIFEM (Untied
Nations Fund for Women), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), EC
(European Commission), PTB (German Metrology Institute), WB (World Bank), ADB
(Asian Development Bank), UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS)
and SACEP (South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme).
Regular
dialogues with other Regional Organisations such as ASEAN (Association of
South-East Asian Nations), ECO (Economic Cooperation Organisation) and PIFS
(Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat) are held with a view to promoting
cooperation among sub-regional organisations.
The
Association promotes interaction on multilateral issues of common concern to
its members and has identified areas in which collective positions could be
projected at international forums. These include trade, finance, environment,
agriculture, women and children, and information and telecommunications.
Beyond
official linkages, SAARC also encourages and facilitates cooperation in private
sector through the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), which is a
SAARC Apex Body. Other such bodies are SAARCLAW and the South Asian Federation
of Accountants (SAFA). In addition, status as SAARC Recognised Body has been
accorded to professional groups in South Asia
including Architects, Management Development Institutions, University Women,
Town Planners, Cardiologists, Dermatologists, Teachers, Writers, Insurance
Organizations, Diploma Engineers, Radiological and Surgical Care Societies.
The
Association of Speakers and Parliamentarians enjoy special recognition by the
Heads of State or Government.
Regional
Centers covering Agriculture, Tuberculosis, Documentation, Meteorological
Research, and Human Resource Development have been established in different
SAARC capitals.
In
addition, three new regional centers covering Culture, Coastal Zone Management,
and Information are being established.
The
SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu . It
coordinates and monitors implementation of activities, prepares for and
services meetings, and serves as a channel of communication between the
Association and its Member
States as well as other
regional organisations.
The
Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General, who is appointed by the Council
of Ministers from Member Countries in alphabetical order for a three-year term.
Mr. Q.A.M.A. Rahim from Bangladesh
is the current Secretary General. The previous Secretaries General were from Bangladesh , India ,
Maldives , Nepal , Pakistan
and Sri Lanka .
The next Secretary General is to be from Bhutan .
The
Secretary General is assisted by seven Directors on deputation from Member
States.
The
SAARC Secretariat and Member
States observe 8 December
as the SAARC Charter Day.
AREAS OF COOPERATION
At the inception of the Association, the Integrated Programme of
Action (IPA) consisting of a number of Technical Committees (TCs) was
identified as the core areas of cooperation. Over the period of years, the
number of TCs were changed as per the requirement. The current areas of
cooperation under the reconstituted Regional Integrated Programme of Action
which is pursued through the Technical Committees cover:
- Agriculture and Rural
Development;
- Health and Population Activities;
- Women, Youth and Children;
- Environment and Forestry;
- Science and Technology and
Meteorology;
- Human Resources Development; and
- Transport.
Recently, high level Working Groups have also been established
to strengthen cooperation in the areas of Information and Communications
Technology, Biotechnology, Intellectual Property Rights, Tourism, and Energy.
Given the emphasis laid down at successive Summits on the need
to expand the areas of cooperation and strengthen the regional cooperation, a
number of other areas have been included in the SAARC agenda. Several
Ministerial level meetings have taken place to give due emphasis in various
fields. The details of work programme under each agreed areas of cooperation
can be viewed by clicking the respective links.
The SAARC Secretariat
The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu
on 16 January 1987. Its role is to coordinate and monitor the implementation of
SAARC activities, service the meetings of the Association and serve as the
channel of communication between SAARC and other international organisations.
The Secretariat has also been increasingly utilised as the venue for SAARC
meetings.
The Secretariat comprises the Secretary General, seven Directors
and the General Services Staff. The details of its officials and working
divisions responsible for areas of work can be viewed under respective links.
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