External Relations

External Relations

Relations with Observers

There are currently nine Observers to SAARC, namely: (i) Australia; (ii) China; (iii) the European Union; (iv) Iran; (v) Japan; (vi) the Republic of Korea; (vii) Mauritius; (viii) Myanmar; and (ix) the United States of America.

There is a moratorium on the admission of new Observers to SAARC at present. Observers are invited to participate in the inaugural and closing Sessions of SAARC Summits.

Member States have decided to engage the SAARC Observers into productive, demand-driven and objective project based cooperation in priority areas as identified by the Member States, i.e. (Communication (ii) Connectivity (iii)Agriculture (iv) Public Health (v) Energy (vi) Environment and (vii) Economic Cooperation.

Joint Meeting of Observers and National Focal Points (Ministries of Foreign Affairs) will finalize the projects based on proposals from Member States and Observers.

Relations with partners with MoUs
Relations with partners without MoUs