BRAC University

PENTAGON GROUP

SAARC

SAARC
(South Asian Association on Regional Co-operation)

SAARC
An organization of South Asian nations
Founded in 1985

Dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development

Headquarters - Kathmandu, Nepal Official languages English Demonism - South Asian

 Membership (8 Members)
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan

- Six Observers - China, Japan, European Union, Republic of Korea, United States, Iran
Government Organization

Chairman - Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik (Mohamed Nasheed)

Secretary General - Ahmed Saleem (Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed )

Establishment - December 8, 1985

Population (160 billion) 1,600,000,000

MOHAMMED WAHEED HASSAN MANIK

AHMED SALEEM

SHORT HISTORY OF SAARC

SAARC is the largest regional organization In the late 1970s, creation of a trade block Unsettled in May 1980 Seven countrys foreign secretaries met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981 Identified 5 broad areas for regional cooperation First adopted under Ziaur Rahman regime in 1977

OBJECTIVES OF SAARC
PRIME OBJECTIVES : To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia to improve their quality of life To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region To provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity

 To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries

To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and To cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes

FOCUSING AREA OF SAARC

They are focusing on 16 stated areas of cooperation:

Agriculture and rural Biotechnology Culture Energy Environment Economy and trade Finance Funding mechanism Human resource development Poverty alleviation People to people contact Security aspects Social development Science and technology Communications Tourism

PRINCIPLES OF SAARC
Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political equality and independence of all members states
Non-interference in the internal matters is one of its objectives Cooperation for mutual benefit All decisions to be taken unanimously and need a quorum of all eight members All bilateral issues to be kept aside and only multilateral (involving many countries) issues to be discussed without being prejudiced by bilateral issues

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987. It is headed by a Secretary General appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member Countries in alphabetical order for a three-year term. The Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Secretariat which was signed by Foreign Ministers of member countries on 17 November 1986 at Bangalore, India contains various clauses concerning the role, structure and administration of the SAARC Secretariat as well as the powers of the Secretary-General. The SAARC Secretariat and Member States observe 8 December as the SAARC Charter Day1.

REGIONAL CENTRES
The SAARC Secretariat has established various regional centres in member states.

The 13th SAARC Arbitration Council established at Islamabad in 2010.

Each regional centre is managed by a governing board. The GB has representatives of each of the member state and SAARC Secretariat.

FEW TREATIES OF SAARC

SAPTA treaty (1995)
SAFTA treaty (signed at the Islamabad summit in January 2004 to go into effect from January 1, 2006)

SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters (17th Summit, November 2011)
SAARC multilateral agreement on avoidance of double taxation (November 12-13, 2007 ) SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism (5 January 2002) and the additional protocol - SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of terrorism (6 January 2004)

FEW TREATIES OF SAARC

Social Charter of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (4 Jan 2004) SAARC Convention on Preventing and combating the Trafficking in Women and Children Prostitution (5 Jan 2002) SAARC Convention on Regional Agreements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia (4 Nov 1987)

Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia (CANWFZ) (8 Sep 2006)

SAFTA TREATY
In 1995 SAARC preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) was inaugurated for bilateral reductions in tariffs and non-tariff barriers on specified commodities on a reciprocal basis, but with special treatment given to the least developed countries (LDC).

The eventual objective was for SAPTA to become, by 2001, a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) based on multilateral tariff reductions.

MORE ABOUT SAFTA TREATY

SAFTA was signed at the Islamabad summit in January 2004 to go into effect from January 1, 2006. The SAFTA agreement would be fully implemented within December 31, 2016, in two phases. The members, under the trade liberalization program, agreed that NonLeast Developed States (NLDS) -including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would reduce their tariffs from existing levels to 20% by January 1, 2008 in equal proportions annually. In case the tariffs would already be less than 20% when the agreement comes into force on January 1, 2006, the NLDS should reduce the actual tariff by 10% each during two years between January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2008.

SOME MAJOR ISSUES OF SAARC

Implementation strategies of the SAARC development fund, a SAARC food bank and the South Asia University. Issues of terrorism and the trafficking of humans and drugs. Issues of as poverty alleviation, economic cooperation and the implementation of SAFTA. Promoted stability, peace, and security in South Asia. In 1998, in the declaration of the 10th SAARC Summit in July, in Colombo, some States still sought to maintain huge arsenals of nuclear weapons and the NPT and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

CURRENT SITUATION
Food Security Initiatives Biotechnology Medical Agricultural Environmental Animal Marine Culture Meeting Economic and Trade Environment

A Technical Committee on Environment was established in 1992 to:

- examine the recommendations of the Regional Study

- identify measures for immediate action

- decide on modalities for their implementation

The SAARC Action Plan on Climate Change (2009-2011) identifies

seven thematic areas of cooperation related to: adaptation; mitigation; technology transfer; finance and investment; education and awareness; management of impacts and risks; and capacity building for international negotiations.

LIMITATION
Uncomfortable trade relationship with India Lower opportunity for intra-regional trade US negative influence and political restriction Lower national per capita income Lower education level Kashmir crisis Afghanistan-Terrorism threat Diverse political culturedemocracies, military dictatorship, monarchy, one-party presidential system

OPINION
The political environment needs to be improved by the regional governments and political leaders. The governments, private sector, academia, professionals and social sector organizations have to work in unison. Development of tourism can yield substantial benefit through a multiplier effect. The region should widen its export base by diversifying into capitalintensive exports. Areas of comparative advantage should be identified.

Customs clearance, border crossing should be developed

Economic reforms policies and institutional arrangements should be conducive to the agreement

Human resources should also be developed in the region for managerial, entrepreneurial and technical skills

A strong and supportive capital market should be formed

CONCLUSION

The Association provides a platform for the peoples of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding. It aims to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through accelerated economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region.

Free trade agreement and political issues represent the central focus of cooperation in SAARC.

Cooperation in the SAARC is based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, noninterference in internal affairs of the Member States and mutual benefit.
Regional cooperation is seen as a complement to the bilateral and multilateral relations of SAARC Member States. Decisions are taken on the basis of unanimity. Bilateral and contentious issues are excluded from the deliberations of SAARC.

SAARC is a serious and influential organization, and there are some potential members awaiting approval for entering it.

THANK YOU