• Sial stresses need to effectively implement SAFTA agreement

Kathmandu, July 18

SAARC Secretary General Amjad Hussain B Sial today delivered a speech on ‘Regional Cooperation under SAARC: Way Forward’ at Tribhuvan University.

In his presentation, the Secretary General introduced SAARC to the participants, focusing primarily on its genesis, membership, objectives, principles, general provisions, institutional mechanisms and areas of cooperation.

He briefed the meeting on SAARC’s collaboration with observers, regional and international organisations, many of which are UN’s specialised agencies. He also talked about important developments since the establishment of SAARC in 1985, stated a press release issued by the SAARC Secretariat.

Stating that the cardinal objective of SAARC is to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia,  Sial emphasised that SAARC’s focus had  been on effective implementation of the decisions taken by the member states rather than proliferation of areas of cooperation, mechanisms and  institutions.

He stressed the need to promote project-based collaboration through the SAARC Development Fund, an umbrella funding mechanism created in 2010.

Touching upon the core subject of his talk, the Secretary General brought to the fore the way forward in  making SAARC vibrant in the attainment of its Charter objectives.

He  highlighted the need to effectively implement the Agreement on the  South Asian Free Trade Area and actively pursue the decisions of  the 18th summit regarding establishment of the South Asian  Economic Union in a phased and planned manner through creation of  Free Trade Area, Customs Union, Common Market and Common Economic and  Monetary Union,. He said improved connectivity was the key to  effective regional integration, promotion of economic relations,  people-to-people contacts and tourism.

The talk was attended by faculty members and students of International Relations and Diplomacy Programme.

The Secretary General’s presentation was followed by a question-answer session in  which the participants raised issues pertaining to SAARC in the present context.