History of SAARC

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
1st SAARC Summit	7 - 8 December 1985	Dhaka
2nd SAARC Summit	16 - 17 November 1986	Bangalore
3rd SAARC Summit	2 - 4 November 1987	Kathmandu
4th SAARC Summit	29 - 31 December 1988	Islamabad
5th SAARC Summit	21 - 23 November 1990	Male'
6th SAARC Summit	21 December 1991	Colombo
7th SAARC Summit	10 - 11 April 1993	Dhaka
8th SAARC Summit	2 - 4 May 1995	New Delhi
9th SAARC Summit	12 - 14 May 1997	Male'
10thSAARC Summit	29 - 31 July 1998	Colombo
11thSAARC Summit	4 - 6 January 2002	Kathmandu
12thSAARC Summit	2 - 6 January 2004	Islamabad

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

1989 SAARC Year of Combating Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking 1990 SAARC Year of Girl Child 1991 SAARC Year of Shelter 1992 SAARC Year of Environment 1993 SAARC Year of Disabled Persons 1994 SAARC Year of the Youth 1995 SAARC Year of Poverty Eradication 1996 SAARC Year of Literacy 1997 SAARC Year of Participatory Governance 1999 SAARC Year of Biodiversity 2002-2003 SAARC Year of Contribution of Youth to Environment 2004 SAARC Awareness Year for TB and HIV/AIDS 2005 South Asia Tourism Year

SAARC DECADES 1991-2000 SAARC Decade of the Girl Child 2001-2010 SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child

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:

1. Agriculture and Rural Development;
2. Health and Population Activities;
3. Women, Youth and Children;
4. Environment and Forestry;
5. Science and Technology and Meteorology;
6. Human Resources Development; and
7. 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.