The Fifty-seventh Session of the Programming Committee of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) commenced today at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.

 

Comprising Heads of SAARC Divisions (Joint Secretary/Director General) from the Ministries of Foreign/External Affairs or National Focal Points of the Member States of SAARC, the Programming Committee is a Charter Body of SAARC.

 

H. E. Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, Foreign Secretary of Nepal, and Chairman of the SAARC Standing Committee, graced the Inaugural Session of the Programming Committee’s Fifty-seventh Session with his august presence.

 

In his Address, H. E. the Foreign Secretary said, “SAARC has become a well networked, a widely recognized and an established regional body in its 35 years of operation.” While highlighting the importance of SAARC for promoting the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and the need to further reinvigorate it to address challenges, while reaping benefits from opportunities, he said that the cost of non-cooperation was enormous and that regional cooperation in South Asia was not a choice, but a compulsion. He said, “Regional Cooperation is one of the priorities of Nepal’s Foreign Policy. As a founding member and current Chair, Nepal’s commitment to the principles and objectives of SAARC is unflinching.” He expressed the hope that the Member States will arrive at a consensus to convene the Nineteenth SAARC Summit at an early date. Similarly, other SAARC activities should be held regularly, he added. He also appreciated the leadership provided by the current Secretary General of SAARC in carrying forward the SAARC process as well as in running the Secretariat efficiently.

 

Addressing the Inaugural Session, H. E. Mr. Amjad Hussain B. Sial, Secretary General of SAARC, briefly reviewed the progress made by SAARC during 2019. “Drawing satisfaction from the progress we have made during the year, we should continue to work strenuously to achieve the coveted objectives enshrined in the Charter, as well as the goal of the South Asian Economic Union (SAEU), as envisioned by our leaders,” he said. He further said, “The raison d’etre for creation of SAARC is to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through accelerated social progress and economic development. In order to carry forward this people-centric objective, it is of utmost importance to regularly convene the meetings of the Charter bodies at all levels.” Stating that Summits provide renewed impetus to the SAARC process, he expressed the hope that a consensus will be evolved soon among the Member States to convene the Nineteenth SAARC Summit at Islamabad.

 

Convened under the Chairmanship of Mr. Ram Prasad Subedi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, the Committee is to review progress of regional cooperation in a number of priority areas of the SAARC process. Besides considering the SAARC Calendar of Activities for 2020, the Committee will review matters relating to the SAARC Secretariat, Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres, including their budgets and Calendars of Activities for 2020. The two-day Session of the Programming Committee also brings together the Heads of SAARC Specialized Bodies and SAARC Regional Centres.

 

The Programming Committee last met at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu on 11-12 December 2018.

 

Kathmandu, 19 December 2019

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To commemorate the signing of the SAARC Charter on 08 December 1985, the Thirty-fifth Charter Day of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was celebrated in all Member States of SAARC.

 

The Heads of State/Government/Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Member States of SAARC issued special messages to commemorate the SAARC Charter Day.

 

H. E. Mr. Amjad Hussain B. Sial, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) hosted a Reception this evening to mark the SAARC Charter Day.

 

The Rt. Hon. Vice President of Nepal graced the Reception with his august presence as the Chief Guest.

 

Several high-ranking officials of the Government of Nepal, Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Regional and International Organizations in Kathmandu as well as friends of SAARC attended the function. A large number of media personnel were also present on the occasion.

 

In his Address, the Secretary General greeted the people and the Governments of the Member States of SAARC on the auspicious occasion of the Thirty-fifth SAARC Charter Day.

 

The Secretary General said that SAARC was created to promote welfare of the peoples of South Asia and improve their quality of life. He added that since its inception in December 1985, SAARC had made steady progress in promoting regional collaboration in priority areas. “We should continue to work strenuously to achieve the coveted objectives enshrined in the Charter, as well as the goal of the South Asian Economic Union (SAEU), as envisioned by our leaders,” he said.

 

He emphasized that improved intra-regional connectivity is sine qua non for effective regional integration, including for promoting economic relations, people-to-people contacts and tourism. “In this context, we sincerely hope that the three important agreements for improving intra-regional connectivity will be finalized soon,” he said.

 

He said that SAARC progressed steadily during 2019, adding that five ministerial meetings were convened, besides many other SAARC activities. He stated that the year also witnessed the operationalization of the Economic and Infrastructure Windows of the SAARC Development Fund, in addition to the Social Window, which has been operational since 2010. During the year, SAARC’s Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres also remained very active in pursuance of their mandates, he said. Besides, SAARC’s collaboration with regional and international organizations progressed well. “We are also working on substantive project-based collaboration with observers of SAARC,” the Secretary General said.

 

Since this was his last Charter Day Reception that he hosted in Kathmandu, he thanked the Member States for their continued support and cooperation in the discharge of my responsibilities. He also thanked the esteemed Government of Nepal, as the current Chair of SAARC and host of the SAARC Secretariat, for its valuable support to the SAARC process and the Secretariat.

 

In the reception, a cultural troupe presented glimpses of music of the Member States of SAARC.

 

Kathmandu, 09 December 2019

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H. E. Mr. Amjad Hussain B. Sial, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), addressed the Fourteenth Informal Meeting of the SAARC Finance Ministers in Washington, on 17 October 2019.

 

In his address, the Secretary General thanked the World Bank for facilitating holding of this Informal Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers. This is the first Informal Meeting being held on the sidelines of an Annual Meeting of the World Bank.

 

The Secretary General said that SAARC looks forward to strengthening cooperation and partnership with the World Bank for achieving the goals of poverty reduction, enhancing economic cooperation and regional integration, trade facilitation, improving financial accountability, and capacity building, in conformity with the MoU signed between the two organizations in 2006.

 

He said that the primary objective of SAARC is to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through accelerated economic growth in the region. Improvement in economic relations among the Member States is the key to accelerated economic growth for improving standards of living of peoples.

 

He said that the theme of this Meeting bears considerable significance in view of the increasing emphasis being given to regional economic integration. This is one dimension of the visionary goal set by our leaders for achieving the South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a phased and planned manner through creation of a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and a Common Economic and Monetary Union.

 

He said trade facilitation has been recognized as an important tool for higher economic growth and reducing poverty in developing countries. Studies have shown that there are several bottlenecks that cause considerable trade delays and high transaction costs in South Asia. Better trade facilitation will promote trade and economic development in South Asia. The emphasis on trade facilitation, is thus timely and appropriate, especially in view of its significant positive impact on economic development.

 

He said that for deeper regional economic integration and promotion of intra-SAARC trade, it is necessary to work collectively to bring down tariffs; eliminate non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and para-tariff barriers (PTBs); reduce sensitive lists under SAFTA; enhance energy cooperation; implement SATIS; improve regional connectivity by rail, road, air and maritime; introduce measures for visa facilitation; finalize the SAARC Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments; widen the scope of the SAARC Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters; and harmonize customs procedures and documentation to facilitate movement of goods and services across the region.

 

Kathmandu, 18 October 2019

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H. E. Mr. Amjad Hussain B. Sial, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), addressed the Inaugural Session of the Regional Conference, “STOP STUNTING: Improving Young Children’s Diets in South Asia” in Kathmandu this morning.

 

In his Address, the Secretary General said that South Asia was home to the largest population of children, of which 59 million were stunted children, under the age of five. He said that stunting had a huge impact on children, not just physically but on their mental or cognitive development, which in turn had an impact on the development of a nation, both from social and economic standpoints.  “It is, therefore, time that we look at children’s development from a broader perspective,” he said.

 

The Secretary General said that complementary feeding, coupled with poor dietary practices, had an adverse impact on the nutritional status of children. He also said that poverty situation and lack of awareness about such issues were equally detrimental to the development of children. “Our policies and programmes, therefore, need to cater to varying stages of development across the region,” he asserted.

 

Stating that since its inception, SAARC had been according high priority to the promotion of the welfare of children, the Secretary General highlighted several initiatives taken by SAARC to achieve this end.

 

In this context, he made a particular reference to the SAARC Social Charter, which identified several targets to be achieved in respect of the children. He said, “In addition to having observed the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child, we have instituted two major Regional Conventions related to children, namely Convention on Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, and Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare.” He also referred to the Regional Action Framework on Nutrition developed jointly by SAARC and UNICEF.

 

The Regional Conference being held in Kathmandu on 17-19 September 2019 is the third in the series co-organized by SAARC and UNICEF in the implementation of the Regional Action Framework on Nutrition.

 

SAARC actively collaborates with UNICEF in the promotion of the welfare of children in pursuance of the Cooperation Agreement first signed between the two organizations in 1993.

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Kathmandu, 17 September 2019

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