I. Poverty Alleviation

Under this area of cooperation, there are following mechanisms:

i. Ministerial Meeting

ii. Senior Officials Meeting

iii. Inter-governmental Expert Group Meeting

Ministerial Forum is preceeded by Secretary Level Meeting. SAARC Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation had been developed and implemented. Annual reporting and assessing of the progress is done through Ministerial Meeting. Secretariat has brought out publications called the Regional Poverty Profile (RPP) until 2009-2010. Member States have decided to replace the publication of the Regional Poverty Profile with the SAARC Development Report from 2017 onwards.

 

SAARC Minister on Poverty Alleviation have met four times and recommended several initiatives, including contextualization of 2030 Development Agenda from regional perspective, funding of SAARC Projects on Poverty Alleviation under Social Wing of SAARC Development Fund (SDF), such as SAARC Handicraft Development Centre, SAARC Model Village, Renewable Energy Development and Livelihood Perspective in South Asia, Review of SAARC Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation (PAPA) – 2004.  

 

During the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Katmandu, 26-27 November 2014), the Leaders reiterated their strong commitment to free South Asia from poverty and directed the Ministerial and Secretary-level mechanisms on poverty alleviation to review the progress and revisit the SAARC Plan of Action and its effective implementation, also taking into account the Post-2015 Development Agenda.  They recognized the potential of cooperatives in achieving inclusive, broad-based and sustainable economic growth and development, and called for sharing of experiences, expertise and best practices in this sector.   The Leaders also recognized that the Post-2015 Development Agenda, following its adoption at the UN, would present opportunities to complement national and regional efforts on sustainable development.  They directed to initiate an Inter-Governmental process to appropriately contextualize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level.  

 

For further information 

Meeting details 

 

New Areas of Cooperation: ‘Labour Migration’, ‘Cooperatives’ and ‘Blue Economy’

The Leaders at the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 26-27 November 2014) expressed their strong determination to deepen regional integration for peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia by intensifying cooperation, including in three new areas, namely ‘Migration’ and ‘Cooperatives’, and ‘Blue Economy’.

 

Migration: The Leaders, at the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 26-27 Nov 2014), “agreed to collaborate and cooperate on safe, orderly and responsible management of labour migration from South Asia to ensure safety, security and wellbeing of their migrant workers in the destination countries outside the Region”. ’The SAARC Plan of Action for Cooperation on Matters Related to Migration has been finalized and zero draft of ‘SAARC Declaration on Labour Migration’ has been circulated among Member States. Setting up of a SAARC Technical Committee on Labour Migration and establishing a SAARC Ministerial Forum dealing with labour migration is in the process.

 

Cooperatives: The Leaders at the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 26-27 Nov 2014), “recognized the potential of cooperatives in achieving inclusive, broad-based and sustainable economic growth and development, and called for sharing of experiences, expertise and best practices in this sector”.  The Secretariat has circulated a Concept Note on ‘Cooperatives,’ received from the Government of Nepal to the Member States. It is under consideration of the Member States.   

 

Blue Economy:  At the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 26-27 November 2015), the Leaders recognized the manifold contributions of ocean-based ‘Blue Economy’ in the SAARC Region and the need for collaboration and partnership in this area.  The SAARC Secretariat has circulated a Concept Note on Blue Economy, received from Bangladesh, to the Member States. It is under consideration of the Member States. 

 

II. Telecommunications and ICT

The Working Group on Telecommunications and ICT was established, by the Council of Ministers during its Twenty-fourth Session held in Islamabad in January 2004. 

Major Issues:

• Reduction of Call Rates among SAARC countries and rationalization of tariff structures

• Multilateral utilization of terrestrial communications routes among SAARC countries; Up-gradation of National and Regional Telecom Infrastructure;

• Utilization of Existing Infrastructure, including SASEC Project by SAAARC Member States;

• Connectivity among Member States;

• Utilization of National Knowledge Network facilities by Member States;

• Establishing Regional Connectivity Hub and its utilization;

• Universal Access to Telecommunications Services;

• Development of the Performance Indicators on Telecommunications sector in the Member States of SAARC

• Consideration of Matter regarding signing of MOU on Tele-Education E-Network

• Cross-border interference on Radio Signals

• Cyber Security

• Improving the Telecommunication Linkages to Reduce Call Rates and Telecommunication Tariffs and Interconnection Termination Charges among SAARC Countries and Development of Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure

 

Following the closure of two Regional Centres, i.e. SAARC Information Centre and SAARC Documentation Centre, the working group has included the following areas under its purview:

• Use of Information and Communication Technology in the fields of education, public health, agriculture, disaster management, etc;

• Communication and Information Policy for SAARC Member States;

• Contemporary Trends in Communication in   SAARC;

• People to People Contact through Communication Tools and Techniques;

 

Further information 

Meeting details 

 

SAARC Knowledge Network

The Government of India has made available a Concept Paper on “National Knowledge Network Connectivity with SAARC Countries”. It is under consideration of the Member States.

 

South Asian Postal Union

SAARC Member States had considered setting up South Asian Postal Union. A Concept Paper regarding formation of a South Asian Postal Union (SAPU) prepared by India was first discussed in the Second Meeting of the Working Group on Telecommunications and Information and Communications Technology (New Delhi, 3-4 April 2008).A Draft Constitution and General Regulations for the Establishment of SAPU has also be prepared. An interim Secretariat of SAPU had been established in New Delhi.  As directed by the Forty-fourth Meeting of the Programming Committee (Kathmandu, 9-11 December, 2013), a Joint Meeting of the representatives of Postal Service and the National Focal Points was held at Islamabad on 10 July 2015.

 

The Meeting decided to put the matter related to the establishment of South Asian Postal Union on hold until the moratorium is lifted and recommended that the agenda related to Postal Cooperation may be discussed in the meetings of the Working Group on Telecom and ICT. As directed, the SAARC Secretariat is exploring the possibility of Cooperation with Universal Postal Union/Asia Pacific Postal Union on areas such as capacity building, technical assistance etc.

 

III. Working Group on Information and Media

 

The Fifty-second Session of the Programming Committee (Kathmandu, 14-15 March 2016), while considering matters relating to Heads of National TV, Radio and News Agencies (HTRN) and SAARC Audio Visual Exchange Programme (SAVE) had decided that the existing SAARC mechanism of HTRN/SAVE will be renamed as the ‘Working Group on Information and Media’. The work pertaining to formation of Working Group on Information and Media is underway.

 

IV. Internship at SAARC:

The overall objective of the SAARC Internship Programme (SIP) is to promote awareness about the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) thereby making it widely known in and beyond South Asia through discourse and research in the academia and at the professional level.  Accordingly, the SIP aims at encouraging and facilitating research and studies concerning the Association and its activities by offering internship at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal.  Such internship may include, at the discretion of the Secretary-General, a period of attachment at any of the relevant SAARC Regional Center.  Under this program, the interested students or researchers will be placed at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu for a period of two weeks to six months, depending on the need and nature of the projected research work and the requests so made by the prospective internees. 

 

The Secretariat has been regularly receiving requests from students in SAARC Member States and outside the Region for pursuing Internship at the SAARC Secretariat.  On completion of their Internship at the SAARC Secretariat, they submit their research papers in varied areas of interests.  On successful completion of the Internship, the internees are awarded a Certificate by the Secretary General.

 

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Social Development

 

The SAARC Charter envisages acceleration of social progress through active collaboration and mutual assistance amongst Member States. Focus on social issues under the broad heading of Health and Population Activities was one of the five original areas of cooperation identified by Member States during the inception of SAARC.

 

SAARC promotes social agenda in the region mainly through cooperation in the following areas:

 

• SAARC Social Charter
• Health and Population Activities
• Children and Youth
• Gender Related Issues

 

In addition, there are a number of regional projects underway through SAARC Development Fund (SDF) and others to support social development in the region.

 

SAARC Social Charter

 

The Tenth SAARC Summit (Colombo, July 1996), while reviewing the progress made in the social sector, determined the need to develop, beyond national plans of action, a regional dimension of action including specific role for SAARC with a view to speeding up social development in the region. It, therefore, decided to adopt a Social Charter incorporating a broad range of targets to be achieved across the region in the areas of poverty eradication, population stabilization, empowerment of women, youth mobilization, human resource development, promotion of health and nutrition, and protection of children.

 

At the Twelfth Summit (Islamabad, January 2004), the Leaders signed the SAARC Social Charter.

 

The provisions laid down in the Social Charter are now being implemented across the region with the establishment of National Coordination Committees (NCCs) in all Member States.

 

The Leaders at the Thirteenth Summit (Dhaka, 12-13 November 2005) reiterated their commitment to take initiatives at national as well as regional levels for achieving the specific objectives contained in the Social Charter. The Leaders decided on annual meetings of the Heads of NCCs and directed convening of their first meeting at the earliest for follow-up and implementation of the Social Charter.

 

The Charter requires that Member States shall also formulate a National Plan of Action or modify the existing one, if any, in order to implement the provisions of the Charter. This shall be done through a transparent and broad-based participatory process. Progress review of the respective stakeholder approach shall also be followed in respect of implementation and evaluation of programmes under the National Plans of Action.

 

The Fourteenth SAARC Summit (New Delhi, 3-4 April 2007) recognised that the implementation of the Social Charter needs focused attention and directed the National Coordination Committees (NCCs) to formulate concrete programmes and projects to complement national implementation efforts. The Leaders underscored that civil society organizations have a vital role to play in driving forward the implementation of the Social Charter and directed NCCs to mobilize civil society organizations to achieve this end.

 

The Second Meeting of the Heads of National Coordination Committees (New Delhi, 6-7 September 2007) to implement the SAARC Social Charter made specific recommendations for its implementation, including thematic listing of areas of cooperation.

 

The Heads of NCCs at their third meeting held in Islamabad, 4-5 November 2008, “noted that there is an urgent need to emphasize the importance of youth mobilization and empowerment with respect to harnessing their enormous talents and potential for development processes of the region”. In light of the recommendation for closer and focused attention on meaningful youth development it should be useful for the Technical Committee on Women, Youth and Children to examine critical challenges faced by young people of the region such as unemployment and drugs etc and suggest a few specific projects or initiatives.

 

Health and Population Activities

 

i. SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC)

 

Initially, the SAARC Tuberculosis Centre (STC) was established in 1992 to support Member States in the prevention and control of tuberculosis in the region by coordinating efforts of national programmes. The Centre was renamed as the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) in 2005. The responsibility of coordinating and implementing regional activities related to TB and HIV/AIDS has been assigned to STAC. The Centre, in coordination with the Secretariat and UN partners have developed the SAARC Regional Strategies on HIV/AIDS, which guide the Centre’s work in coordinating regional efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS.

 

Further details about  STAC and its work are available on the Centre’s official website www.saarctb.com.np

 

ii. SAARC Health Ministers Meetings

 

Emergency Meeting of SAARC Health Ministers (Maldives, April 2003)

 

In the wake of widespread threats brought by the emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), an Emergency Meeting of SAARC Health Ministers was convened in Male’ in April 2003 to develop a regional strategy to deal with the deadly epidemic. The one-day Meeting decided to take measures to prevent and control spread of SARS in the region as well as to adopt comprehensive preventive measures, such as screening at entry points, transfer of possible SARS patients to quarantine or isolation facilities and ensuring effective contact tracing. The Ministers adopted the Male’ Declaration on a Collective SAARC Response to SARS.

 

First Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (New Delhi, 14-15 November 2003)

 

The Health Ministers, in their First Meeting stressed upon the need to cooperate on health issues amongst SAARC Member States, not only in the field of traditional system of medicine but also on the whole gamut of health issues confronting the region. They also decided to increase the inter-country cooperation to address the problem of emerging and re-emerging diseases. They further called for strengthening the mechanism for surveillance, reporting, diagnosis and management by exchange of expertise and sharing of infrastructural facilities amongst SAARC Member States. The meeting emphasized on the importance of developing a common regional strategy to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and other deadly communicable diseases and also recommended setting up a SAARC Surveillance Centre and a Rapid Deployment Health Response System.

 

Second Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (Islamabad, July 16, 2005)

 

The Health Ministers adopted the Islamabad Declaration on Health and Population, in which the Member States agreed to set-up a regional institutional mechanism and establishment of national focal points within the Ministries of Health and Population; share experiences, technical expertise and success in the region in health and population areas; establish a SAARC Disease Surveillance Centre and a Rapid Deployment Health Response System; work together towards developing regional policies and programmes as well as effective partnerships in order to check illegal trade in drugs and medicines; establish an expert group on population issues under the mandate of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities; complement the region’s efforts in achieving MDGs and addressing other priority health and population issues; and strengthen regional mechanism for exchange of faculty and students in disciplines of medical sciences and public health education.

 

Third Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (Dhaka, 26 April 2006)

 

The Ministers welcomed the launching of the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS. The Meeting urged the Member States to set-up National Commissions on Macroeconomics and Health for Resource Mobilization. The Meeting also mandated the proposed meeting of the Expert Group on setting up of the SAARC Disease Surveillance Centre to develop a comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategy covering both animal and human health in the context of pandemic preparedness. The Meeting directed the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities to hold deliberations on the issue of reproductive health with a view to advancing effective regional cooperation; prepare guidelines for a Regional Initiative on Basic Healthcare Services, Nutrition, Safe Water and Sanitation, particularly in rural areas; consider preparation of a SAARC Plan of Action in the areas of medical expertise and pharmaceuticals, harmonization of standards and certification procedures; and production of affordable medicines as well as traditional medicines. The Health Ministers also adopted the Dhaka Declaration – A Better Health Profile for South Asia.

 

 

Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (Male’ 10-12 April 2012)

 

The Meeting welcomed the launching of the SAARC Regional Strategy for Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases. The Meeting recommended strengthening SAARC mechanisms to scale up interventions for vulnerable groups focusing on cross-border issues through the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC). The Ministers, among others, urged upon the Member States to implement the decision of the Seventeenth SAARC Summit to formulate an actionable framework to address the common challenges of sanitation and access to safe drinking water in the region; complete all necessary processes for upgrading the SAARC TB Reference Laboratory at the SAARC TB and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC), Kathmandu to a Supra-National Reference Laboratory; focus on the speedy implementation of regional projects that bring about tangible gains for the people of the region; and to strengthen mechanisms to reduce malnutrition including enforcement of existing regulations on breast milk substitutes and salt iodization. The Health Ministers also adopted the Male Resolution on Regional Health Issues.

 

Fifth Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (New Delhi, 08 April 2015)

 

 The Meeting launched the HIV/AIDS Progress Report (2004-2014), “Getting to Zero: How Innovation, Policy Reform and Focused Investments can help South Asia end the Aids Epidemic by 2030”, developed by SAARC, in collaboration with UNAIDS. The Meeting highlighted the need for collaboration and cooperation in addressing emerging health issues in the SAARC region and appreciated the role of development partners and stakeholders in realizing health related development goals. The Meeting also highlighted the need for SAARC Member States to mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change and also the need for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, TB and HIV/AIDS and emphasized the emerging concern for Anti-Microbial Resistance. The Meeting noted that Member States largely share similar economies, similar social and health situations, and similar challenges, and the need is to find the best solution to overcome these challenges. The Ministers, among others, urged Member States to work together for promoting public health, preventing disease, universalizing health coverage and ensuring high quality of life for the citizens of SAARC. The Meeting also adopted the Delhi Declaration on Public Health Challenges.

 

Sixth Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers (Colombo, 29 July 2017)

 

During the meeting, Health Ministers adopted the Colombo Declaration “Calling for accelerated progress on key Regional Health Issues”, in which the Member States noted the ten Key Messages/Recommendations of SAARC-UNICEF Regional Conference on Scaling-up Care for Children with Severe Wasting in South Asia (Kathmandu, 16-18 May 2017); significant economic contribution made by labour migrants of the region and agreed to collaborate to safeguard their health; conducting annual meetings on Non-communicable diseases by rotation in each Member State; and agreed to conduct activities as individual Member States and also as a Region according to the principles and strategies agreed upon in the two South Asia Regional Action Frameworks on Sanitation and Nutrition to improve the status of sanitation; establish mechanisms to share the experiences on development of human resources for health, ensuring the accessibility, equity and quality of health care in each country and as a region; share experiences on best practices adopted on health issues pertaining to Non-Communicable Diseases, Vector Borne Disease, Sanitation, Nutrition, Climate change and Disaster; work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through enhanced partnership and collaboration. 

 

The Meeting welcomed the suggestion by H.E. the Secretary General of SAARC about the establishment of a South Asian Medical University. The Meeting also welcomed the offer of Sri Lanka to host the University. 

 

Video Conference of the SAARC Leaders on Combating Covid-19 (15 March 2020)

 

On the initiative of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, the Leaders of the SAARC Member States held a Video Conference on 15 March 2020 to discuss measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the region. The Video Conference was attended by President of Afghanistan, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Prime Minister of Bhutan, Prime Minister of India, President of the Maldives, Prime Minister of Nepal, State Minister for Health of Pakistan and President of Sri Lanka. The Video Conference was also attended by H.E. Mr. Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, the Secretary General of SAARC.

 

All the Heads of State or Government or their representative addressed the Conference while appreciating the timely initiative of the Prime Minister of India, the Leaders shared their country situations and experiences in the aftermath of the outbreak of Covid-19 as well as measures taken by them to control the spread of the virus.

 

After deliberations by the SAARC Leaders or representative, the Prime Minister of India proposed the following way-forward:

 

1. Creation of a Covid-9 Emergency Fund on the basis of voluntary contributions from all the countries;
2. Assembling a Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists in India, along with testing kits and other equipment. They will be on stand-by, to be placed at Member States’ disposal, if required;
3. Arranging online training capsules for emergency response teams;
4. Use existing facilities like the SAARC Disaster Management Centre, to pool in the best practices among all;
5. Creation of a common Research Platform, to coordinate research on controlling epidemic diseases within the South Asian region;
6. Brainstorming Session of experts on the longer-term economic consequences of Covid-19, and insulating internal trade and our local value chains from its impact; and
7. To evolve common SAARC Pandemic Protocols which can be applied on all borders as well as within borders in such situations.

 

 

Video Conference of the SAARC Health Ministers (23 April 2020)

 

At the initiative of Pakistan, the Video Conference of the SAARC Health Ministers on Covid-19 was held on 23 April 2020. The Minister of State for Health of Pakistan chaired the Conference. The Video Conference was attended by Deputy Minister of Health Care Services of Afghanistan, Director General of the Directorate General of the Services of Bangladesh, Secretary, Ministry of Health of Bhutan, Director General of Health Services of India, Director General of Public Health of the Maldives, State Minister for Health and Population of Nepal, Deputy Director General of Public Health Services of Sri Lanka and the Secretary General of SAARC.

 

As the host, Minister of State for Health of Pakistan apprise the meeting of the Covid-19 situation in his country and briefed the efforts taken by Pakistan at the national level. On his invitation, all Member States shared their country situation, experiences and best practices related to Covid-19 management. The following recommendations were made during the Conference:

 

1. SAARC Secretariat should administer a SAARC Health Ministers’ Whatsapp group;
2. Document national experiences and best practices of the SAARC Member States;
3. Continue high-level exchanges in the SAARC, as the region progresses in combatting Covid-19.

 

iii. Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities (TC HPA)

 

The First Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities, under the Regional Integrated Programme of Action (RIPA), was held on November 8-9, 2005 at Dhaka. The Committee reviewed the progress of implementation of the Health Ministers’ decisions. The mandate/scope of the Committee includes Regional Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, population stabilization, drug rehabilitation, demand and harm reduction, mental health and physical disabilities, primary healthcare, cooperation in pharmaceutical regulations, population, health and environmental integration, disease surveillance monitoring and early warning system, cooperation in traditional medicines etc. The Second Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities held in Kathmandu on May 5-6, 2008, discussed the project concept notes on Maternal and Child Healthcare and Immunization. The Third Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities was held in New Delhi on July 30-31, 2009. This Meeting emphasized the common challenge of communicable diseases in the region and urged implementation at the national level. The Fourth Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities held in New Delhi on 9-10 October 2013, endorsed the Strategy and recommended that while implementing the new regional strategy, STAC should take into account MDGs, SDGs as well as post 2015 Health and Development agenda. Furthermore, the Technical Committee emphasized the need for;

(i) Effective implementation of communication strategies focusing on stigma and discrimination;

(ii) Rights based approach for prevention: and

(iii) Strengthening legal provisions related to HIV and AIDS in SAARC Member States.

 

The Fifth Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities was held in New Delhi on 6 April 2015. The Meeting discussed various health related matters/projects and recommended interalia:

  

1. Setting up of Expert Groups for Vector Borne Diseases (Malaria/Dengue/Chikangunya and others) with particular attention to Malaria.
2. Setting up an Expert Group/Consultative Group on Hepatitis
3. Hold an annual meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

 

 

 

 iv. SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2006-2010)

 

Pursuant to the directive of the Twelfth SAARC Summit, a SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV and AIDS (2006-2010) was developed along with a regional work plan for its implementation.

 

The vision of the strategy is to halt and reverse the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS, to commit leaders to lead the fight against HIV and AIDS and to provide People Living with HIV and AIDS access to affordable treatment and care and enjoy a dignified life. The Regional Strategy is to guide the regional response to the epidemic. The Strategy also articulates the need to “facilitate evidence based advocacy and programming for children affected by HIV and AIDS in the Member Countries and to coordinate the efforts towards developing costed actions plans in all countries through the mechanism of a regional forum”.

 

A Regional Expert Group on HIV/AIDS has been formed and meets annually to review the progress of implementation of the SAARC Strategy on HIV/AIDS. The Third SAARC Expert Group Meeting on HIV/AIDS was held, in collaboration with the UNAIDS, on January 28-29, 2008 at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu. Based on the discussion, the Group made a number of recommendations such as STC Regional Reference Laboratory to be upgraded and strengthened to work as Regional Reference Laboratory for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre with technical assistance of WHO. The Fourth and Fifth SAARC Expert Group Meetings on HIV/AIDS were held on 25-26 February, 2010 and 19-20 May, 2011 at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu.

 

The Fifth SAARC Expert Group on HIV/AIDS held at the SAARC Secretariat on 19-20 May 2011 agreed to review the existing Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS and recommended that the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) to develop a Draft Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2012-2016) with the support of UN agencies.

 

Pursuant to this decision, the SAARC Consultative Meeting of Programme Managers of HIV/AIDS to develop SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS 2012-2016 was held in Islamabad on 15-17 June 2012. As recommended by this Meeting, an Expert Group Meeting held in Thimphu on 5-6 March 2013, finalized the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2013-2017).

 

The revised Strategy is already under implementation and the Seventh Meeting of the SAARC Expert Group was hosted by the Government of India on 7 April 2015, which reviewed the progress of the Operational Plan of the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2013 – 2017).

 

v. Telemedicine Network Project

 

During the Thirteenth Summit, the Prime Minister of India had proposed establishing a collaborative healthcare project involving a regional Telemedicine Network. During the Fourteenth SAARC Summit, the Leaders noted with appreciation the establishment of a regional telemedicine-network and directed that steps be taken to extend it to other ICT enabled fields such as education.

 

All Member States have identified hospitals where the project will be implemented. Assessment visits by a team from India to designated hospitals in Member states has been undertaken. The project is successfully under implementation in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal.

 

vi. Communicable Diseases, Disease Surveillance and Pandemic Preparedness

 

During the Eleventh SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 4-6 January 2002), “the Leaders recognized the debilitating and widespread impact of the HIV/ AIDS, TB and other deadly communicable diseases on the population of South Asia and stressed the need for evolving a regional strategy to combat these diseases. During the Twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad in January 2004 and the subsequent Health Minister’s meetings held in 2005 and 2006, the Leaders and the Ministers for Health reiterated the importance of taking necessary steps to ensure that there is a collective, systematic and coordinated approach towards diseases surveillance in the region.

 

Increasing emergence and re-emergence of epidemics and communicable diseases such as SARS, Avian Influenza, Chikungunya Fever etc in the region raises the urgency of developing appropriate regional measures and capacity for disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.

 

During the Thirteenth SAARC Summit (Dhaka, 13 November 2005), the Leaders “underscored the need for increasing cooperation to develop regional strategies for the prevention and treatment of Dengue, Malaria and other infectious or communicable diseases constituting major public health concerns.

 

The SAARC Expert Group Meeting on Disease Surveillance and Rapid Deployment of Health Response System to deal with Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases (Delhi, 26-27 Nov.2008) recommended regional approaches and a way forward to develop regional institutional capacity and appropriate systems for early warning, rapid deployment health response and to review public health guidelines.

 

The SAARC Expert Group Meeting to Develop SAARC Regional Strategy on Communicable Diseases was held in Paro, Bhutan on 7-8 July 2008. The Meeting developed the Draft Framework for SAARC Regional Strategy on Communicable Diseases.

 

An Expert Group Meeting was held in Colombo (28-29 March 2012) to finalize the SAARC Regional Strategy on Communicable Diseases. The Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers held in the Maldives on 12 April 2012 launched the SAARC Regional Strategy on Communicable Diseases.

 

Furthermore, the Project “strengthening surveillance and response capacity for highly pathogenic and emerging and re-emerging diseases in SAARC countries (2009-2013) was completed with the support of WHO/European Commission.

 

viii. SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors Programme (for HIV and AIDS)

 

Pursuant to the directive of the Twelfth SAARC Summit, the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV and AIDS was developed along with a regional workplan for its implementation. Under the component on Policy and Advocacy, the SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors Programme was recommended with the aim of bringing the issue of HIV and AIDS to the political and public forefront taking advantage of their celebrity status and through their public and media appeal to reach the widest possible audiences with the message of avoiding risky behaviour and removing stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV and AIDS.

 

The Thirtieth Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers (Colombo, 31 July - 1 August 2008) approved two regional personalities: Ms. Shabana Azmi from India; and Mr. Sanath Jayasuriya from Sri Lanka as SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV and AIDS.

 

The SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV and AIDS Initiative has commenced with the visit of Ms. Shabana Azmi to Nepal, as the SAARC Goodwill Ambassador, to raise awareness and advocate greater support to the fight against HIV and AIDS in January 2009. Her interaction with children and people affected by HIV and AIDS and her plea to the public to remove the social stigma and discrimination against People living with HIV/AIDS received wide publicity.

 

Upon recommendation of the Thirty-eighth Session of the Standing Committee (Thimphu, 6-7 February 2011), Ms. Shabana Azmi was requested to continue as SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS for one more year, which was accepted by her.

 

As per the recommendation of the Meeting of the Selection Committee (SAARC Secretariat, 02 January 2013) the following three regional personalities were conferred with the honorary title of SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors:

 

1. Ms. Runa Lalia, Bangladesh
2. Shri Ajay Devgan, India
3. Ms.  Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Pakistan

 

The Fourth Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities (New Delhi, 9-10 October 2013) recommended to the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) that while formulating programmes of Goodwill Ambassadors, their interaction with target population be increased. The STAC was directed to develop targeted brand messages and health spots/creatives with Goodwill Ambassadors for public outreach. Member States could also use these messages and health spots/creatives for mass media campaign through their national broadcasting channels, for wider publicity.

 

As the term of the current SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors has come to an end, the Secretariat has initiated the process for selection of new SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors.

 

Gender related issues

 

Technical Committee on Women, Youth and Children (TCWYC)

 

Ever since the launching of regional cooperation in South Asia, issues related to women have figured prominently on the SAARC agenda. The Technical Committee on Women in Development was created under the erstwhile Integrated Programme of Action (IPA) in 1986.

 

The Technical Committee on Women in Development was merged into the Technical Committee on Social Development under the SAARC Integrated Programme of Action (SIPA) in January 2000.

 

The Technical Committee on Social Development held one meeting before it ceased to function with the creation of a new Technical Committee on Women, Youth and Children (TCWYC) in January 2004. Since then the following meetings of the Committee have been held:

 

Meeting	Dates	Venue
1st TC-WYC	29-30 November 2004	Dhaka, Bangladesh
2nd TC-WYC	30-31 July 2007	Dhaka, Bangladesh
3rd TC-WYC	22 October 2008	Dhaka, Bangladesh
4th TC-WYC	21-22 December, 2009	Kabul, Afghanistan
5th TC-WYC	16-17 July 2011	Kabul, Afghanistan
6th TC-WYC	2-3 September 2013	SAARC Secretariat
7th TC-WYC	28-29 July 2015	Islamabad, Pakistan

 

 

The Second Meeting of the TCWYC launched the book titled “Gender Initiatives in SAARC: A Primer” jointly developed by the SAARC Secretariat and UNIFEM. The Committee reviewed the progress in the observance of the SAARC Decade of the Rights of Child (2001-2010).

 

The Third Meeting of TCWYC noted the progress of the project titled “strengthening livelihood initiative for home-based workers in SAARC region” which was implemented under the Social Window of the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) in collaboration with SEWA, India.

 

The Fourth Meeting of TCWYC recommended the development of a reporting mechanism or a format for reporting of national progress to the Technical Committee on Women, Youth and Children.

 

The Fifth Meeting of TCWYC agreed that there was a need to re-programme the approach to be able to address the realization of gender equality and empowerment in the region, and therefore, recommended the establishment of a SAARC Gender Equality and Empowerment Programme.

 

As per the directives of the Seventeenth SAARC Summit, an Inter-governmental Expert Group Meeting was held to discuss the establishment of this regional mechanism to ensure empowerment of women and gender equality in the region, with focus on national legislations, including timely realization of the MDGs and SDGs.

 

The Expert Group Meeting (Maldives, 11-12 March 2013) recommended the establishment of the SAARC Gender Policy Advocacy Group (SAARC- GPAG) for Empowerment of Women and Gender Equality in the region and developed its Terms of Reference (ToR).

 

The Sixth Meeting of TCWYC finalized the ToR of the SAARC Gender Policy Advocacy Group, and its establishment was approved by the Standing Committee in 2014.

 

The Seventh Meeting of TCWYC is expected to be held in Pakistan.

 

SAARC Gender Policy Advocacy Group (SAARC- GPAG)

 

The establishment of the SAARC Gender Policy Advocacy Group (GPAG) as a regional mechanism to promote Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the South Asia region is a milestone in SAARC’s history.

 

The mandate for GPAG on gender equality and women’s empowerment emanates from the Fifth Meeting of TCWYC (Kabul, 16-17 July 2011), when the Committee agreed that there was a need to re-programme the existing approach to be able to realize Gender Equality and Empowerment in the region in line with the directives of the Seventeenth Summit (Addu City, 10-11 November 2011). 

 

At the Seventeenth Summit (2011), the Heads of State or Government recognized that ‘full enjoyment of fundamental rights by women and girls is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights and that gender-based violence and discriminatory practices constitute a violation of fundamental rights’. At the Summit, they issued a directive to convene an Inter-Governmental Expert Group Meeting to discuss the establishment of a regional mechanism to ensure empowerment of women and gender equality in the region, with focus on national legislations, including timely realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SAARC Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Pursuant to the directive, the Inter-Governmental Expert Group Meeting was held in Maldives on 11-12 March 2013, which proposed Terms of Reference to constitute SAARC-GPAG for Empowerment of Women and Gender Equality.  The TOR of SAARC-GPAG was reviewed at the Sixth Meeting of TCWYC (SAARC Secretariat, 2-3 September 2013). One of the output included in the SAARC-GPAG TOR was to develop a three-year Gender Action Plan.

 

The decision to establish SAARC-GPAG was taken at the Fortieth Session of the Standing Committee (Maldives, 19 February 2014), which was subsequently endorsed by the Eighteenth SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 26 – 27 November 2014). The objective of SAARC–GPAG is to advocate and keep gender equality high on the policy agenda of the SAARC Countries:

 

• Enhancing political and administrative will on Gender Equality
• Ensuring implementation of commitments by Member States to empowerment of women and Gender Equality
• Monitoring progress

 

Outlined below is the organizational set-up of SAARC-GPAG, and role including the SAARC Secretariat, and its external knowledge partners:

 

1)   SAARC-GPAG comprise 16 members, two from each Member State, who are committed and have expertise and capacity to contribute to advancement of women’s rights and mainstreaming gender concerns in the region:

 

• One designated senior policy level official from relevant Ministry;
• One expert from academia/Civil Society Organization nominated by Government. Expert nominated should be preferably from a think- tank or a University; and
• A provision made for a consultant to be based in the SAARC Secretariat to facilitate and support GPAG.

 

2)   According to the Terms of Reference (TOR), the SAARC-GPAG Members meet once in a year for 2 days and their tenure is for three years; Non-attendance for two consecutive meetings would require a replacement of the expert by the Member States. 

 

3)  While the SAARC-Secretariat mainly has a facilitating role to seek technical and financial assistance from SAARC, collaborating partners, including UN Agencies assist to implement the TOR of SAARC-GPAG. Currently, the two external knowledge partners, UN Women and UNESCAP, provide need-based technical and other support.

 

The first meeting of SAARC-GPAG was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 26-27 July 2015 and identified the various thematic issues of common interest under Key Priorities for GPAG for three years Action Plan. Based on the recommendations of the Group, the SAARC Secretariat, with technical assistance from a Consultant/Gender Specialist, developed a detailed draft Action Plan (2017 – 2019). The draft is to be discussed and approved by the next Meeting of the Group, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan.

 

SAARC Gender Info Base (SGIB)

 

SGIB is a South Asian repository of qualitative and quantitative data and information on gender related issues and women empowerment. This regional effort crosses the conventional parameters of statistical data gathering exercises and aims at creating a comprehensive single pool of data/information on gender issues in different formats, including multimedia, making it a One Stop Gender Information Shop. Major areas of focus of SGIB is on Feminization of Poverty, Health Issues (including HIV/AIDS), and Violence against women (especially Trafficking).

 

Progress of SGIB is reviewed by technical review Meetings of Member States. Seven such Meetings were held till 2014. The Seventh and last SGIB review meeting was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 25-26 March 2014. In the next phase of SGIB, the implementation of SGIB will be taken up within the framework of SAARC Gender Policy Advocacy Group (SAARC-GPAG), which would drive regional movement forward for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, in line with relevant regional and international commitments.

 

Convention on Combating the Crime of Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution

 

Concerned over the trafficking of women and children within and between countries in the region, SAARC adopted a Regional Convention on Combating the Crime of Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution in January 2002, during the Eleventh Summit in Kathmandu. The Convention calls for cooperation amongst Member States in dealing with various aspects of prevention, interdiction and suppression of trafficking in women and children for prostitution, and repatriation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking. It also calls for prevention of use of women and children in international prostitution networks, particularly where countries of the region are the countries of origin, transit and destination.

 

A Regional Task Force has been formed in all the Member States to monitor and assess the implementation of various provisions of the Convention on Combating the Crime of Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.

 

The Regional Task Force has met in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

 

During the First Meeting of the Regional Task Force (New Delhi, 26 July 2007), the Meeting agreed to exchange information on best practices by the respective Governments, NGOs and members of the Civil Society to combat Trafficking in Women and Children. It was decided that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to implement various provisions of the Convention, including reporting under Article VIII (5) and repatriation of victims of Trafficking and related matters as defined in the Convention, would be developed. The Third Meeting of the Regional Task Force (Shimla, May 2009) finalized the draft Standard Operating Procedure.

 

Furthermore, the Special Session of the Regional Task Force held at the SAARC Secretariat in April 2010 prepared the draft outline for the establishment of two regional Toll-free helplines dedicated for women and children respectively. Women and children survivors or victims of violence or discrimination can then dial up these numbers to seek help and support irrespective of the country they are in South Asia.

 

As per the observation of thte Thirty-third Session of the Council of Ministers (Thimphu, 7-8 February 2011), a technical level process was initiated to consider broadening the scope of the existing Convention on Trafficking in Women and Children. However, after much deliberation, Member States decided to work on strengthening the implementation of the existing Convention, before broadening the scope of the Convention at this stage.

 

Pakistan is to host the next meeting of the Regional Task Force.

 

Youth

 

SAARC Ministerial Conference on Youth in South Asia

 

Issues related to youth in the region have also been given due priority. A Ministerial Conference on youth in South Asia was held in the Maldives in May 1994 to address the problem of youth and focus on the broad theme of youth and development.

 

SAARC Year of Youth

 

The Year 1994 was designated as the “SAARC Year of Youth”. In 1995, the SAARC Youth Resolution was adopted to advance the overall development of youth in the region.

 

SAARC Youth Camps

 

The SAARC Agenda for Culture approved by the Twenty-eighth Session of the Council of Ministers recommends holding of SAARC Youth Camps annually on a designated theme to promote cultural interaction among the youth. Accordingly, the First SAARC Youth Camp was held in Bangladesh in December 2007.

 

Subsequently, Sri Lanka hosted the Second SAARC Youth Camp in Colombo from 28 July to 1 August 2008.

 

The Third SAARC Youth Camp, under the theme “Be accountable for your environment: Today and Tomorrow”, was held in the Maldives on 21-26 February 2011.

 

The Fourth SAARC Youth Camp was hosted by India on 11-15 February 2013 on the theme “Youth as Ambassadors in Global partnership for Development”. The Fifth SAARC Youth Camp to be hosted by the Maldives.

 

SAARC Youth Awards

 

The SAARC Youth Awards Scheme was instituted in 1996 to provide recognition to extraordinary young talents and encourage the overall development of youth in the region. The scheme is also aimed at encouraging the South Asian youth to excel in various fields and to realize their full potential.

 

The SAARC Youth Awards Scheme is open to nationals of the SAARC Member Countries, who are within the age group of 20-35 years. The Award consists of a citation in English; a Gold Medal; and a cash prize of US$ 3000.

 

The SAARC Youth Awards have so far been presented on the following themes:

 

1997: Outstanding Social Service in Community Welfare - Mr. Md. Sukur Salek (Bangladesh)

1998: New Inventions and Discoveries - Dr. Najmul Hasnain Shah (Pakistan)

2001: Creative Photography: South Asian Diversity - Mr. Mushfiqul Alam (Bangladesh)

2002: Outstanding contribution to protect the Environment - Dr. Masil Khan (Pakistan)

2003: Invention in the Field of Traditional Medicine - Mr. Hassan Sher (Pakistan)

2004: Outstanding contribution to raising awareness for TB and/or HIV/AIDS - Mr. Ajij Prasad Poudyal (Nepal)

2006: Promotion of Tourism in South Asia - Mr. Syed Zafar Abbas Naqvi (Pakistan)

2008: From Himalayan glaciers to verdant plains to coral reefs – protecting the Environment in South Asia - Ms. Uswatta Liyanage Deepani Jayantha (Sri Lanka)

2009: Outstanding contribution to humanitarian works in the aftermath of Natural Disasters - Dr. Ravikant Singh (India) 

2010: Outstanding Contribution to protection of Environment and Mitigating Effects of Climate Change - Ms. Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne from Sri Lanka. 

2011: Youth leadership in the fight against social ills - Mr. Mohamed Faseen Rafiu from the Maldives.

 

Children

 i. SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children

 

The development of children and the promotion of their well-being is a principal area of cooperation identified by SAARC from its very inception. The objective of building a region-wide consensus on social action for achieving the rights of the child and the goals set for them within the framework of a survival, development and protection strategy was addressed during the Ministerial Conferences on Children held in Delhi (1986), Colombo (1992), Rawalpindi (1996) and Colombo (2009).

ii. SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia

 

Pursuant to the decision of the Ninth Summit, the SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements on the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia was signed in January 2002 during the Eleventh Summit in Kathmandu. The Convention envisages facilitating the development of full potential of the South Asian child.

 

Welcoming the signing of the Convention, at their Eleventh Summit (Kathmandu, January 2002), the Leaders reaffirmed their conviction that children in South Asia deserve urgent and focused attention to achieve the overall progress of the countries in the region. The Summit, therefore, directed the Council of Ministers to take necessary measures to ensure the enjoyment by girl child of her inherent potential and to take concrete steps to give priority to investing in children as an effective means for poverty reduction in the long run.

 

The Eleventh Summit also agreed to mobilize necessary resources and to intensify broad-based actions to achieve a set of priority goals in improving the status of children, such as polio eradication; protection of children from mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS; and quality basic education to children.

 

A Regional Task Force has been formed to monitor and assess the implementation of various provisions of the SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia.

 

The Regional Task Force has met in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

 

The sixth meeting of the Regional Task Force is to be hosted by Pakistan.

 

iii. SAARC Regional Strategic Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS

 

The need of facilitating evidence-based advocacy and programming for children affected by HIV and AIDS was identified as a key issue in the ‘SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV and AIDS (2006-2010)’ formulated at the direction of the 12^th SAARC Summit (Islamabad, January 2004) and its Work Plan endorsed by the 27^th Session on the Council of Ministers (Dhaka, August 2006). The Strategy articulates the need to “facilitate evidence based advocacy and programming for children affected by HIV and AIDS in the Member Countries and to coordinate the efforts towards developing costed actions plans in all countries through the mechanism of a regional forum”. The Regional Consultation on Children Affected by HIV/AIDS in South Asia held in Kathmandu in May 2007 formulated a common strategic approach for policy and programming to protect and support these children and their families, namely, SAARC Regional Strategic Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS.

 

The Framework places children affected by HIV/AIDS within the broader group of children in difficult circumstances, and focuses on delivering an integrated response to children’s medical, nutritional, educational, legal and psychosocial needs, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It calls for a universal approach to ensure that children affected by HIV/AIDS have access to the same public and social support systems which are available to other children, rather than being separated or singled out among their peers. This is linked to measures to address the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, and to intervene on behalf of children who are discriminated against as a result of this stigma.

 

This framework is incorporated into the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV/AIDS (2013-2017).

iv. SAARC Decade of the Rights of Child (2001-2010)

 

The Third Ministerial Conference on Children of South Asia held in August 1996, at Rawalpindi, Pakistan and recommended the observance of the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child (2001-2010).

 

During the Eleventh SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 4-6 January 2002), the Leaders directed the Council of Ministers to take concrete steps to give priority to investing in children as an effective means for poverty reduction in the long run. Reaffirming their commitment to the Colombo Plan of Action and the Rawalpindi Declaration and recalling the declaration of 2001 to 2010 as the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child, the Heads of State or Government noted with appreciation the South Asia High-level Meeting on Children held in Kathmandu in May 2001. They reaffirmed their conviction that the children in South Asia deserve urgent and focused attention to enhance the long-term and overall progress of the countries of the region.

 

The Thirteenth SAARC Summit (Dhaka, November 2005) decided that a mid-term review of the progress in realizing the objectives of the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child, should be undertaken.

 

The Fourth SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children (Colombo, July 2009) recommended that an Expert Group Meeting should be held to provide feedback on the report of the preliminary assessment as well as additional comments on the questionnaire and take guidance on conducting an in-depth assessment of the implementation of the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child.

 

The Assessment Report was launched during the 17^th SAARC Summit (Addu City, Maldives, 10-11 November 2011).

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At their Eighteenth SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu on 26-27 November 2014, the Heads of State or Government expressed their strong determination to deepen regional integration for peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia by intensifying cooperation, inter alia, in trade, investment, finance, energy, security, infrastructure, connectivity and culture; and implementing projects, programmes and activities in a prioritized, result-oriented and time-bound manner. The Leaders renewed their commitment to achieve South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a phased and planned manner through a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and a Common Economic and Monetary Union. They acknowledged that SAARC Member States, particularly the Least Developed and Landlocked Member States, face structural constraints and challenges that result in their weak productive capacity affecting their competitiveness in external trade due to, among others, high trade and transit cost. They committed to enhance support to the Least Developed and Landlocked Member States in their development efforts, with a view to ensuring equitable benefits of free trade arrangements. In this context, they agreed to effectively implement the existing preferential facilities under SAFTA and SATIS.

 

The Eighteenth SAARC Summit directed SAFTA Ministerial Council and SAFTA Committee of Experts to accelerate free trade in goods and services in the region putting into operation simplified and transparent rules of origin; implementation of trade facilitation measures; harmonization of standards relating to Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures; harmonized, streamlined and simplified customs procedures; elimination of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers; and smooth and efficient transit and transport facilities. They also called for early operationalization of SATIS by finalizing the schedule of commitments.

 

Connectivity

 

The Eighteenth SAARC Summit welcomed the significant progress towards finalization of the SAARC Motor Vehicles Agreement and SAARC Regional Railways Agreement. The Heads of State or Government agreed to hold a Meeting of the Transport Ministers within three months in order to finalize the Agreements for approval. They renewed their commitment to substantially enhance regional connectivity in a seamless manner through building and upgrading roads, railways, waterways infrastructure, energy grids, communications and air links to ensure smooth cross-border flow of goods, services, capital, technology and people. The leaders emphasized the need for linking South Asia with contiguous regions, including Central Asia, and beyond by all modes of connectivity and directed relevant authorities to initiate national, regional and sub regional measures and necessary arrangements.

 

Regional Economic Integration Study (Phase-II)

 

As mandated by SAARC Leaders and on the request of SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted a Study on Regional Economic Integration for SAARC in 201 The Forty-first Session of Standing Committee considered and approved the Draft Study on Regional Economic Integration (Phase-II) concluded with the financial and technical assistance of ADB. The Study was launched during the Opening Session of the Council of Ministers held in Kathmandu on 25 November 2014. As recommended by the Standing Committee, two SAARC-ADB Special Meetings of representatives of Commerce and Finance Ministries on Regional Economic Integration Study (Phase-II) have been held in Goa, India on 14-15 April 2015 and in Malé, Maldives on 27-28 January 2016 to prioritize the recommendations contained in the Study for implementation. After in-depth deliberations, the First Special Meeting decided to implement the following recommendations simultaneously on a priority basis:

 

1. Reduction/Removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and Para-Tariff Barriers (PTBs)
2. Energy Cooperation
3. Trade Facilitation Measures
4. Investment Cooperation
5. Reduction of products in the Sensitive Lists
6. SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS)
7. Improvement in Connectivity (rail, road, air, maritime) among Member States

 

The First Meeting recommended that the timelines for action to be taken for implementation of above prioritized recommendations may be taken up by the forthcoming Tenth Meeting of SAFTA Committee of Experts. However, noting the fact that the SAFTA Meetings have not been held so far, the Second SAARC-ADB Special Meeting held in the Maldives on 27-28 January 2016 proposed timelines for implementation of the identified recommendations for consideration of higher authorities of SAARC. The Meeting also noted that several SAARC Mechanisms are already engaged in activities which would lead to further regional economic integration. These Meetings included those of SAARC Finance Ministers/Finance Secretaries, SAFTA Ministerial Council comprising SAARC Commerce Ministers, Meetings organised by South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) and SAARC Arbitration Council (SARCO). The deliberations of these Meetings contribute towards implementation of some of the prioritized recommendations contained in the Study. The Meeting noted the status of implementation of prioritized recommendations by Member States and recommended that action on the pending issues may be taken by all Member States expeditiously under intimation to the SAARC Secretariat.

 

The Third SAARC-ADB Special Meeting on Regional Economic Integration Study (Phase-II) is scheduled to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 12-13 April 2017. The Theme of the Meeting would be “Transport Connectivity”. Some of the important issues to be discussed during the Third Meeting would include the Role of Transport Connectivity in Trade Facilitation for moving towards South Asian Economic Union (SAEU); Review of Progress in launching Indian Ocean Cargo and Passenger Ferry Service; Review of Progress in the implementation of identified recommendations of the SAARC-ADB Regional Economic Integration Study (Phase-II) for moving towards South Asian Economic Union (SAEU); and discussion on future course of action.

 

  pdf Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA (282 KB) )

 

SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS)

 

Committee on Economic Cooperation (CEC)

 

The CEC comprising Trade/Commerce Secretaries of SAARC Member States was established to oversee and monitor the trade and economic cooperation under the framework of SAARC in 1991. Fifteen Meetings of CEC have been held so far. The Sixteenth Meeting of the Committee on Economic Cooperation will be hosted by Nepal in 201

 

South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO)

 

SAARC Arbitration Council (SARCO)

 

SAARC Trade Fairs

 

Cooperation in the field of Finance

 

The First Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers approved the establishment of an Inter-Governmental Expert Group on Financial Issues with a mandate to develop its draft Terms of Reference based on the areas outlined by the SAARC Leaders at their Thirteenth Summit, including development of a roadmap for achieving the South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a gradual and phased manner.

 

The Seventeenth SAARC Summit (Addu, Maldives, 10-11 November 2011) directed the SAARC Finance Ministers to chart a proposal that would allow for greater flow of financial capital and intra-regional long-term investment. The Fifth Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers deliberated on the directive of the Summit and recommended that the IGEG on Financial Issues may first look into the matter and make suggestions to be considered by the higher SAARC bodies.

 

Following the Thirteenth Summit directive, the Informal Meetings of the SAARC Finance Ministers are being held on the sidelines of ADB Governing Board Meetings. A theme for the meeting is usually suggested by the SAARC Chair and a draft agenda is then circulated by the Secretariat. The Tenth Informal Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Frankfurt, Germany on 3 May 2016 on the sidelines of Annual Meeting of ADB. The theme for the Tenth Informal Meeting was “Financing Development of Economic Corridors in the SAARC Region.” The Eleventh Informal Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers is scheduled to be held in Yokohama, Japan on 5 May 2017 on the sidelines of the Fiftieth Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank. The focus of the Meeting would be on Fifty Years of ADB and ADB Operations in SAARC Countries.

 

The Seventh Meeting of the IGEG (SAARC Secretariat, 20-21 May 2014) reviewed  progress on Public Debt Management; Development of Capital Market in South Asia; and SAARC ADB Studies on Second Phase of Study on Regional Economic Integration; and Study on Development of a Regional Coordinated Surveillance Mechanism (RCSM). It reviewed the status of preparation of comprehensive project proposals on following Concept Papers on: Financial Inclusion-Access to financial services and credit to financially excluded sections of the society (India); Experiences of Financing for Infrastructural Development (Pakistan); Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Sri Lanka). It held discussion on sharing of experience and best practices in the financial sector and on preparing a proposal to allow for greater flow of financial capital and intra-regional long-term investment. It also reviewed progress on swap arrangement and deliberated on paper  circulated by Bangladesh at the Fifth Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers (Dhaka, 30 January 2012) on “Economic Integration in the SAARC Region: Towards South Asian Economic Union (SAEU)”.

 

Two Meetings of SAARC Public Debt Managers’ Forum have been held. The Third Meeting is scheduled to be held in Kabul in 2015.

 

Study on codification of variations in the level of development of Capital Markets in SAARC Member States has been conducted with the financial and technical assistance of ADB. 

 

The Fifth Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers (Dhaka, 30 January 2012) agreed that the region should evolve joint strategies for facing the impact of global economic crisis in a spirit of mutual cooperation. There is need to initiate effective and coordinated policy action in monetary and fiscal arena to avoid possible risks. It may be necessary to examine the need to develop a regional coordinated surveillance mechanism to forecast the fall-out of external shocks which may create an economic and financial dislocation within the SAARC region. For this purpose, a detailed study may be conducted on possible regional strategy with the help of regional/international financial institutions like ADB. Accordingly, a Study is being conducted with the help of ADB. An Inception Workshop for the Study (SAARC Secretariat, 3-4 October 2013) agreed that there is a need for a regional surveillance mechanism because international surveillance systems fail to notice many important signals at the country or regional levels.

 

The Sixth Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Colombo on 30 August 2013. The Meeting recommended accelerating the pace of economic and financial cooperation among the Member States of SAARC. The Finance Ministers:

 

1. endorsed the action plans enumerated in the SAARC Finance Secretaries’ Meeting;
2. noted that most of the Member Countries have managed crisis situations well, the strong indicators being reduction in fiscal deficit, reduction in the level of poverty;
3. appreciated the SWAP arrangement for currency put in place by India and noted that Bhutan has already signed an MOU with Reserve Bank of India for US$ 100 million under the arrangement;
4. private sector may be involved more and more in the economic and financial integration in SAARC, as their role becomes critical in the success of SAFTA process;
5. sub-regional cooperation such as SASEC in which ADB is involved has done good work and such cooperation may be encouraged;
6. NTMs/PTMs acting as NTBs/PTBs must be addressed; and
7. infrastructural development, such as Railways and motor ways and energy grid are important for facilitating regional economic and financial integration.

 

The Eighth Meeting of IGEG on Financial Issues held in Islamabad on 20-21 July 2016, reviewed the Progress of Implementation of Decisions taken as well as Matters considered at the Seventh Meeting of SAARC Inter-Governmental Expert Group on Financial Issues (SAARC Secretariat, 20-21 May 2014) which included Public Debt Management; Development of Capital Market in South Asia; SAARC-ADB Study on Regional Economic Integration (Phase-II); SAARC-ADB Study on Development of a Regional Coordinated Surveillance Mechanism (RCSM); Draft Text of SAARC Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments;  and sharing of experience and best practices in the financial sector.

 

The Eighth Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Islamabad on 26 August 2016 to review progress in the implementation of their earlier decisions. The Meeting emphasized the need for:

 

1. Accelerating the process towards South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a phased and planned manner as mentioned in the Declaration of 18th SAARC Summit.
2. Ensuring implementation of decisions recommended by the Member States at various SAARC mechanisms in order to realize the goals of SAARC Charter to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region.
3. Strengthening regional trade through full and expeditious implementation of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) in order to achieve deeper integration and move towards SAEU and also to bring down tariffs, eliminate NTBs/PTBs, reduce sensitive lists for enhanced intra-regional trade under SAFTA;
4. Operationalize the SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services without further delay by finalizing the schedules of specific Commitments;
5. Finalize Text of the SAARC Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments;
6. Initiate discussion on widening the scope of SAARC Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.
7. Emphasized the need for harmonization of customs procedures and documentations in the region to facilitate movement of goods across the borders.
8. Underlined the need for improved connectivity in the region including through land, sea and air route and early signing of Motor Vehicle and Railways Agreements.
9. Strengthen Social Window and operationalize Economic and Infrastructure windows of SAARC Development Fund (SDF) so that tangible benefits are visible on the ground.
10. Enhanced intra-regional investments with a view to bridge the large infrastructure financing gap in the region;

 

Avoidance of Double Taxation

 

SAARCFINANCE

 

DOWNLOAD - Revised Sensitive Lists of Phase-II as per HS-2012

 

 

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Biotechnology

The need to institutionalize and promote cooperation in the area of Biotechnology has been recognized by the Heads of State or Government at various SAARC Summits since 1990. From 1990-2003, cooperation the area of Biotechnology was pursued by the Technical Committee on Science and Technology. A Working Group on Biotechnology was established in 2004 as a part of the restructured SAARC Integrated Programme of Action to coordinate regional cooperation in the area of Biotechnology.

 

The First and Second Meeting of the Working Group on Biotechnology was held in Kathmandu in April 2004 and December 2006 under the Chairmanship of Nepal. Sri Lanka assumed the Chair of the Working Group on Biotechnology on 1 January 2009 for a period of two years. The Third Meeting of the Working Group on Biotechnology was held in Colombo in June 2009.

 

The Third Meeting of the Working Group on Biotechnology (Colombo, 4-5 June 2009), among others, considered and finalized a Concept Paper on a Programme of Cooperation in the field of Biotechnology between SAARC Member States. The Report of the Third Meeting of the Working Group on Biotechnology was considered by the Thirty-sixth Session of the Programming Committee (SAARC Secretariat, 10-11 August 2009). The Report of the Thirty-sixth Session of the Programming Committee was approved by the Thrity-seventh Session of the Standing Committee (Thimphu, 25-26 April 2010).

 

The Programme for Cooperation in the field of Biotechnology provides for cooperation in the following areas:

 

1. Medical Biotechnology
2. Agricultural Biotechnology
3. Environmental Biotechnology
4. Animal Biotechnology
5. Marine Biotechnology
6. Bioinformatics
7. Plant Tissue Culture
8. Genetically Modified Organisms and bio-safety
9. Marker Assisted Selection
10. Bio-fertilizer and Bio-gas
11. Vaccine Production
12. Genomics and Proteomics
13. Nano-biotechnology
14. RNA interference technology platform
15. Stem cell research
16. Industrial biotechnology

 

Cooperation the identified areas as listed above among the Member States of SAARC will be pursued through hosting of conferences and workshops; post-doctoral fellowships; joint research projects; and exchange of visits among scientists and specialists from the region.

As per recommendation of the Fourth Meeting of the Working Group on Biotechnology (Colombo, 27 April 2011), the National State-of-the-Art Reports on Biotechnology received from Member States are uploaded below:

 

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from Bangladesh

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from Bhutan

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from India

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from Nepal

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from Pakistan

National State-of-the-Art Report on Biotechnology from Sri Lanka

 

Since 2004, the Working Group on Biotechnology has met three times. Pakistan is the current Chair of the Working Group on Biotechnology since January 2012.

 

Environment, Climate Change and Natural Disasters

 

The Heads of State or Government of the Member States of SAARC, at successive Summits since 1987, have reiterated the need to strengthen and intensify regional cooperation to preserve, protect and manage the diverse and fragile eco-systems of the region including the need to address the challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters. The Leaders noted that the development process and prospects of the Member States were being severely undermined by these challenges.

The preservation and protection of the environment including disaster risk reduction and management remains a high priority on the agenda of cooperation being pursued by the Member States of SAARC. The numerous directives issued by successive SAARC Summits and meetings of the SAARC Environment Ministers provide continued impetus for strengthening and intensifying regional cooperation in the areas of environment, climate change and natural disasters.

The meetings of the SAARC Environment Ministers and the Technical Committee on Environment and Forestry also provide key mechanisms to guide and facilitate the agenda of cooperation.

Regional Centers have also been established and constitute an important framework of SAARC Institutions, which address diverse aspects of environment, climate change and natural disasters. These are: (i) SAARC Environment Center merged with SAARC Energy Center (SEC) for the protection, conservation and prudent use of environment resources by adopting sustainable forest management practices through research, education and coordination among Member States; and (ii) SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) to provide policy advice and facilitate capacity building including strategic learning, research, training, system development, expertise promotion and exchange of information for effective disaster risk reduction and management – the mandate of the Centre was expanded to include the development of a Natural Disaster Rapid Response Mechanism ( Fifteenth SAARC Summit, Colombo, 2-3 August 2008).

 

Meetings of the SAARC Environment Ministers

 

SAARC Environment Ministers have met periodically to take stock of progress and to further enhance regional cooperation in the area of environment, climate change and natural disasters. Since 1992, SAARC Environment Ministers have met nine times. The SAARC Environment Ministers have not met since September 2011.

In addition, a Special Session of the Environment Ministers in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami was held in Malé in July 2005 and a SAARC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Dhaka in July 2008.

 

Technical Committee Meetings

 

A Technical Committee on Environment was established in 1992 to examine the recommendations of the Regional Study, to identify measures for immediate action and to decide on modalities for implementation.

The Technical Committee on Environment was also mandated to monitor the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the two Regional Studies. The mandate of the Committee was expanded to include meteorology and forestry. However, under the restructured Regional Integrated Programme of Action (RIPA) approved by the Twenty-ninth Session of the Standing Committee (Islamabad, 31 December 2003 – 1 January 2004), Meteorology was merged with the Technical Committee on Science and Technology.

The sectoral mandate of the Technical Committee comprises of environment, climate change, forestry and natural disasters. In addition to the Terms of Reference outlined under Article VI of the SAARC Charter, the Technical Committee follows-up on the implementation of decisions taken by SAARC Charter Bodies (Summit, Council of Ministers, Standing Committee) and the SAARC Environment Ministers.

The Committee also coordinates and monitors the implementation of the 1997 SAARC Environment Action Plan; and SAARC Action Plan on Climate Change (July 2008).

Since 2004, the Technical Committee on Environment and Forestry has met five times. 

 

Important Initiatives/Milestones

 

The Third SAARC Summit (Kathmandu, 2-4 November 1987) commissioned a Regional Study on the “Consequences of Natural Disasters and the Protection and Preservation of the Environment”. The Study was completed in 1991.

The Fourth SAARC Summit (Islamabad, 29-31 December 1988) directed that a joint study on the “Greenhouse Effect and its Impact on the Region” be undertaken. This study was initiated to provide a basis for an action plan for meaningful cooperation among Member States. The study was completed in 1992.

The above two studies provided a comprehensive assessment of the state of the environment in the Member States of SAARC.

 

SAARC Environment Action Plan (1997)

 

The “SAARC Environment Action Plan” was adopted by the Third Meeting of the SAARC Environment Ministers (Male, 15-16 October 1997) and identified some of the key concerns of Member States and set out the parameters and modalities for regional cooperation.

Since its adoption in 1997, a number of measures outlined in the SAARC Environment Action Plan have been implemented by the Regional Centres.

Disaster Management in South Asia: A Comprehensive Regional Framework for Action 2006-2015

Pursuant to the Malé Declaration, a “Comprehensive Framework on Disaster Management 2006-2015” was adopted in 2006 to address the specific needs of disaster risk reduction and management in South Asia. The Framework is aligned with the Hyogo Framework of Action (2005-2015). Member States are in the process of preparing their respective National Plans of Action for implementation of the Regional Framework and thereafter, an Expert Group Meeting will harmonize the national reports and articulate a Regional Plan of Action.

 

Dhaka Declaration and SAARC Action Plan on Climate Change (2008)

 

Delhi Statement on Cooperation in Environment (2009)

 

The Eighth Meeting of the SAARC Environment Ministers (New Delhi, October 2009) adopted the “Delhi Statement on Cooperation in Environment,” which identified many critical areas that need to be addressed and reaffirmed the commitment of Member States towards enhancing regional cooperation in the area of environment and climate change.

 

Thimphu Statement on Climate Change (2010)

 

Climate Change was the theme of the Sixteenth Summit (Thimphu, 28-29 April 2010) and, among others, adopted the “Thimphu Statement on Climate Change”, which outlines a number of important initiatives at the national and regional levels to strengthen and intensity regional cooperation to address the adverse effects of climate change in a focused manner. The Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change (IGEG.CC), established by the Thimphu Statement, is required to monitor, review progress and make recommendations to facilitate the implementation of the Thimphu Statement. The IGEG.CC reports to the SAARC Environment Ministers.

 

SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment (2010)

 

The “SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment” was signed during the Sixteenth Summit. The Convention has been ratified by all Member States and entered into force with effect from 23 October 2013. The Convention identifies 19 areas for cooperation in the field of environment and sustainable development through exchange of best practices and knowledge, capacity building and transfer of eco-friendly technology in a wide range of areas related to the environment. The implementation of the Convention has been entrusted to a Governing Council, comprising of the Environment Ministers of Member States.

 

SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters (2011)

 

The “SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters” was signed at the Seventeenth Summit (Maldives, 10-11 November 2011). The SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response of Natural Disasters has been ratified by all Member States and entered into force with effect from Friday, 09 September 2016. The setting up and operationalization of the SAARC Natural Disaster Rapid Response Mechanism as provided for under the Agreement would institutionalize regional cooperation among Member States in the critical area of response in the aftermath of natural disasters in the region.

 

Collaboration with Inter-governmental Organizations

 

SAARC is collaborating with many regional and international organizations, and has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) in July 2004; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in June 2007; the United Nations International Strategy on Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in September 2008 and Asia Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). The MOUs are renewed as may be required. These agencies extend technical and financial support in implementing SAARC programmes.

SAARC is an accredited Observer of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since COP 16 (Cancun, Mexico, 29 November-10 December 2010) and has presented common SAARC positions on climate change.

 

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 Related Documents:

SAARC ENVIRONMENT ACTION PLAN

 

 

COLOMBO DECLARATION ON A COMMON ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

 

 

MALÉ DECLARATION

 

 

DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH ASIA: A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 2006-2015

 

 

SAARC DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

SAARC ACTION PLAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

SAARC MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON COOPERATION ON ENVIRONMENT - “DELHI STATEMENT”

 

 

THIMPHU STATEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

SAARC CONVENTION ON COOPERATION ON ENVIRONMENT

 

 

SAARC AGREEMENT ON RAPID RESPONSE TO NATURAL DISASTERS

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