Ambassador of Afghanistan H. E. Mr. Shaida Muhamad Abdali paid a courtesy call on H. E. Mr. Arjun B. Thapa, Secretary-General of SAARC on 18 December 2014 at the SAARC Secretariat.

H. E. Mr. Abdali congratulated H. E. the Secretary General of SAARC on the successful conclusion of the Eighteenth SAARC Summit and its preceding meetings, particularly on signing the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity). He wished for successful implementation of the decisions taken during the Summit, expressed the need to empower the Secretariat, and emphasized on learning from successful stories and experiences of other similar organizations such as EU. 

H. E. Mr. Abdali emphasized on the importance of security and collective efforts to resolve conflicts in the region. He also stressed on the communalities among the Member States that augured well for ensuring peace and harmony in the region. He pointed out the significance of the geographic location of Afghanistan for connecting South Asia.

H. E. Mr. Abdali expressed the eagerness of Afghanistan in hosting a SAARC Regional Centre to strengthen its sense of ownership over SAARC. He also pointed out that TAPI, a mega-project which was signed among Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in 2012, aimed at boosting peace and stability through regional energy cooperation, can be a threshold in transforming the South Asian region. With three SAARC Member Countries, namely Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, already on board, and with the rest of South Asian countries showing interest to join the project, it can provide the ground for a collective venture. 

H.E. the Secretary General, while thanking the Ambassador Abdali for his visit, expressed deep appreciation for Afghan Government’s contribution in advancing the agenda of SAARC.  He also stressed on the need for improving intra-regional connectivity by signing Motor Vehicles and Railways Agreements.

Mr. Mohammad Ibrahim Ghafoori, Director, SAARC Secretariat and and Mr. Sayed Mujtaba Ahmadi, Economic Counselor, Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi were also present at the meeting