H. E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) paid a visit to Bhutan from 13 to 14 January 2014.

During the visit, the Secretary-General paid a courtesy call on His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King ofBhutan. During the meeting, the Secretary-General apprised His Majesty the King of Bhutan about the current status of regional cooperation, with particular reference to intra-regional trade and connectivity. His Majesty the King expressed Bhutan’s unequivocal support to the SAARC process for the common good of the peoples in the region.

The Secretary-General called on H. E. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan during the visit. In his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Secretary-General informed the Prime Minister of the latest initiatives of SAARC in several agreed areas of regional cooperation. The Prime Minister expressed his Government’s unwavering commitment to the strengthening of regional cooperation under the auspices of SAARC.

During the visit, the Secretary-General also called on H. E. Lyonpo Rinzin Dorje, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Minister and the Secretary-General exchanged views on matters of common interest, particularly SAARC and its diverse agenda of cooperation. They also discussed matters pertaining to the Inter-Summit Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers and its preceding meetings to be held in the Maldives from 17 to 20 February 2014. The Minister hosted a dinner in honour of the Secretary-General in which senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Executive Heads of SAARC regional institutions attended. 

While in Thimphu, the Secretary-General also met H. E. Dasho Yeshey Dorji, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Government of Bhutan and discussed issues pertaining to SAARC. Matters relating to the Special Session of the Standing Committee scheduled for 17 February 2014 in the Maldives figured prominently during the discussions. In keeping with the directive of the Seventeenth SAARC Summit, the Committee is expected to consider the entire gamut of issues vis-à-vis SAARC’s engagement with its Observers. During the meeting, the Secretary-General also apprised the Foreign Secretary about the Comprehensive Study undertaken by the Secretariat in strengthening SAARC’s mechanisms, including the SAARC Secretariat, Regional Centres and Specialized Bodies of SAARC.

While in Thimphu, the Secretary-General paid a visit to the SAARC Forestry Centre and the SABAH project, funded by the SAARC Development Fund based in Thimphu, Bhutan.

The Secretary-General was accompanied by his spouse, Mrs. Ayesha Manike and Mr. Singye Dorjee, Director, SAARC Secretariat.

H. E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) paid a visit to Pakistan from 7 to 8 January 2014.

During the visit, the Secretary-General called on H. E. Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs; H.E. Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs; and H. E. Mr. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Foreign Secretary.

During the Secretary-General’s call on H. E. Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, the Advisor reiterated that Pakistan is fully committed to the principles and objectives of the SAARC Charter to promote the welfare of the people of this region through effective regional integration. He further stated that Pakistan is a vibrant member of SAARC and hoped that despite several impediments, SAARC will become a catalyst for regional development.

In his meeting with the Secretary-General, H. E. Mr. Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, highlighted that Pakistan values SAARC as a dynamic regional platform for building economic synergies, deepening regional integration and bringing the people of South Asia together.

The Foreign Secretary hosted a luncheon in honour of the Secretary-General which was also attended by Envoys from the SAARC Member States based in Islamabad, Federal Secretaries, Directors from three SAARC Regional Centres and high officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the calls on the high dignitaries, the Secretary-General apprised them of the current status of regional cooperation under the auspices of SAARC with particular reference to intra-regional connectivity and economic integration. The Secretary-General briefed the dignitaries about the preparations underway for the convening of the Inter-Summit Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers and its preceding meetings to be held in the Maldives from 17 to 20 February 2014. He also informed them about the Comprehensive Study that the SAARC Secretariat has undertaken to strengthen the SAARC mechanisms, including the SAARC Secretariat and Regional Centres. This is the first time in the history of the Association that the Secretariat has been mandated to prepare such a Study.

SAARC Foreign Ministers met informally in New York on 25 September 2013 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, Minister of Environment and Energy and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives chaired the informal meeting organized by the Permanent Mission of Maldives in New York. Maldives holds the Chair of SAARC following its Seventeenth Summit in November 2011.

Opening the meeting, the Chairperson highlighted the important initiatives taken by the Maldives in the implementation of the decisions of the Seventeenth Summit. She also apprised the attending Ministers or their representatives of the impending plans of the Maldivian Government in carrying forward the SAARC process.

Addressing the meeting, the Secretary-General reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Seventeenth Summit directives. He also urged the Ministers or their representatives present at the meeting to consider the possibility of holding the inter-Summit Session of the Council of Ministers and the Eighteenth Summit as early as possible. Elaborating on the urgency of convening these meetings, he stated, "Since the Seventeenth Summit, a number of meetings have been held both at the technical and Ministerial levels. However, no meetings of Charter bodies of SAARC, namely, the Standing Committee, the Council of Ministers and the Summit have taken place since the last Summit, creating a backlog of important decisions to be taken by them. Your Excellencies would readily agree with me that without the convening of these meetings, SAARC activities are bound to suffer due to lack of direction and impetus. At the same time, I strongly feel such postponements of the Charter body meetings for a long period of time impede the process of regional cooperation, where decisions are required to be taken unanimously by the eight Member States."

Following the presentation by the Secretary-General, the Ministers deliberated upon several measures to implement the decisions of the SAARC Charter Bodies, including the Seventeenth Summit, and SAARC Ministerial Meetings, among others. During the meeting, they unequivocally underscored the need to hold the regular Session of the Council of Ministers at an early date.

Pursuant to the decision taken by the Eleventh Session of the Council of Ministers in July 1992, SAARC Foreign Ministers have been meeting informally in New York since 1997 on the sidelines of the UNGA sessions. The last such informal session was held in New York in October 2012. 

H. E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem, Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) addressed the Inaugural Session of the Ministerial Segment of the Sixth Asian and Pacific Population Conference in Bangkok today.

Addressing the Inaugural Session, the Secretary-General highlighted the important initiatives taken by SAARC in promoting the social agenda in the region. In his Address, he made a special reference to the SAARC Social Charter adopted in January 2004. He stated, “The SAARC Social Charter addresses the issue of promotion of the rights and well-being of the child that the child should be entitled to grow and develop in health with due protection. The Charter not only advocates special services to be provided to the child and mother, but also identifies specific steps to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Most importantly, the Charter highlights the need for education, literacy and skill development amongst the youth, and elimination of early marriage in the region.”

Elaborating on the measures taken by SAARC in the social sector, the Secretary-General further said, “The SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia and the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution are other important regional instruments. Going beyond the regional instruments, I am happy to state that SAARC has begun implementation of regional projects, such as the one on Maternal and Child Health. This year,SAARC will initiate a regional project for Women and Children to provide services to victims and survivors of human trafficking.”

The Conference brings together many distinguished Ministers and Senior Officials, Parliamentarians and civil society representatives from about forty countries and territories from the Asian and Pacific Region to chart out the regional population and development agenda for the next decade.  The Conference that is organized jointly by UNESCAP and UNFPA will conclude on 20 September 2013. A Senior Officials' Meeting preceded the Ministerial Segement of the Conference from 16 to 18 September 2013.

Mr. Ahmar Ismail, Director, who heads the Energy, Transport, Science and Technology Division represented the SAARC Secretariat at the Senior Officials' Meeting.