SAARC

SAARCSouth Asian Association for

Regional Cooperation

Prepared By:Arslan Ahmed

Atif AlviAli Khan

Zahid MehmoodAli Rahman

Aneeqa Ejaz

INTRODUCTION

SAARC is an eco-political organization of 8 South Asian nations, which was established on 8 December 1985 for friendship and cooperation among themselves and with other developing countries.

Covering a population of more than 2 billion, SAARC is the largest regional organization in the world.

HISTORY

Idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was discussed in atleast three conferences:

1-the Asians Relations Conference in New Delhi in April 19472-the Baguio Conference in the Philippines in May 1950,3-the Colombo Powers Conference in April 1954

The first concrete proposal for establishing a framework for regional cooperation in South Asia was made by the late president of Bangladesh, Zia-ur-Rehman, on May 2, 1980.

Established on 8 December 1985.

 Its seven founding members are Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

PRINCIPLES Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political equality and

independence of all members states.

Non-interference in the internal matters.

Cooperation for mutual benefit.

All decisions to be taken unanimously.

All bilateral issues to be kept aside and only multilateral issues to be discussed.

AIMS and OBJECTIVES Welfare of the people of south Asia.

Economic growth, social progress and cultural development .

Strengthen selective self-reliance among the countries of south Asia.

Understanding and appreciation of one another's problems.

Strengthen cooperation among themselves as well as with other developing countries and international and regional organizations

Maintain peace in the region.

MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS OF SAARC

CURRENT MEMBERS

1.  Afghanistan ( joined the organization in 2007)

2.  Bangladesh3.  Bhutan4.  India5.  Maldives6.  Nepal7.  Pakistan8.  Sri Lanka

OBSERVERS

1. Australia2. China3. European Union4. Japan5. Iran6. Mauritius7. Myanmar8. S. Korea9. USA

POTENTIAL FUTURE MEMBERS

  Myanmar has expressed interest in upgrading it's status from an observer to a full member of SAARC.

  Russia has expressed interest in becoming an observer of SAARC.

OTHERS

South Africa has participated in meetings.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF SAARC

COUNCIL

At the top, there is the Council represented by the heads of the government of the member countries. The council is the apex policy making body. It meets once in 2 years time.

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS** It is to assist the council. It is represented by the

foreign ministers of the member countries. Its functions include:

Formulation of policies

Review of functioning

Deciding new areas of cooperation

Chalk out additional mechanism

Decide about general issues of common interests of the SAARC members.

STANDING COMMITTEE** It is comprised by the foreign secretarian of

the member government. Its major functions are:

To monitor and co-ordinate the programmes

To determine inter-sectored priorities

To mobilize cooperation within and outside the region

To deal with the modalities of financing.

PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE

** It consist of the senior official of the member governments. Its functions include:

Scrutinizing the budget of the secretariat

Finalizing the annual schedule

External activities assigned by the standing Committee

Analyses the respects of the technical committee.

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE**It consist of the represented of the member nations. Its

function are:

To formulate project and programmes

To monitor and execute the projects

To submit reports.

Cover Areas like Agriculture, Communication, Environment, Rural Development, Health and Population, Science and Technology, Tourism and Transport

SECRETARIAT** The SAARC secretariat is located in Nepal. The

secretariat is headed by the secretary-General appointed by the Council of Ministers. Its function include:

Coordination, execution and monitoring of SAARC activities

Servicing the SAARC meetings

Works as communication link between the SAARC and other international forums.

SAARCAREAS OF

COOPERATION

Agriculture & Biotechnology

Trade & Finance

Education

Information , Communication & Media

Science & Technology

Energy & Environment

Tourism & Social Development

Culture

People-to-People Contacts

Trade & Finance The acceleration of economic growth is a Charter objective of

SAARC. Corporation in core areas of trade and finance b/w the SAARC members in 1991.

The following important processes of SAARC are promoting cooperation in the field of Trade,

Economy and Finance

Customs Cooperation

South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) (Custom Duties down to 20%)

SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA)

POLITICAL ISSUES

The dispute over Kashmir’s accession to India has been standing in the way of the lasting peace and prosperity of the Indian subcontinent as well as SAARC.

AGREEMENTS,DECLARATIONS

ANDCONVENTIONS

OFSAARC

AGGREMENTS Agreement for establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council

Final Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation

Final Agreement on Customs Matters

CHARTER OF SDF 31 July 2008

Agreement on establishing the SAARC food bank

Agreement on south Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)

Agreement on the Establishment of South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO)

  Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation

DECLARATIONS Ministerial Declaration on Global Economic Crisis

Colombo Statement on Children of South Asia

Declaration on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism

Islamabad Declaration on Health, 2005

Colombo Declaration on a Common Environment Program

Common Position on Climate Change, Nov. 1998

Rawalpindi Resolution on Children of South Asia, Aug. 1996

New Delhi Declaration of Environment Ministers, Apr, 1997

Declaration of Commerce Ministers May 1998

CONVENTIONS SAARC Convention on Combating and

Prevention of Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution

The purpose of this Convention is to effectively deal with the various aspects of prevention and suppression of trafficking in women and children and to prevent the use of women and children prostitution networks.

Convention on Promotion of Welfare of Children

The purpose of this Convention is to promote cooperation amongst Member States so that they take effective steps for the welfare of children.

Convention on Mutual Assistance on Criminal Matters and Suppression of Terrorism

The States Parties shall provide widest possible measures of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, namely investigations, prosecution and resulting proceedings.

SAARC Convention Narcotics Drugs

Important steps have been taken to enforce the provisions of the Regional Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

SUMMITSAND

MEETINGS

SUMMITS1st Summit (Dec 1985):Venue: Dhaka Reaffirmation of the UN Charter and respect

for each other’s sovereignty. Concern over the global economic crisis. Declaration of belief in the objectives and the

continued relevance of the Non Aligned Movement.

Expression of concern over the poverty in the SAARC region and commitment to improving social and economic conditions

2nd Summit (1986):Venue: Bangalore Rehash of the goals and statements of the first

summit. Strengthening of ties between member states. Condemned terrorism.

3rd Summit (1987):Venue: Kathmandu Decision to initiate study of natural disasters and

its after-effects. Expression of satisfaction over progress in

implementation of IPA. Call for increased people to people contact and

greater NGOs participation.

4th Summit (1988)Venue: Islamabad Expression of outrage over attempted coup in Maldives

and declaration of support to her government. 1989 declared as the “SAARC Year Against Drug

Abuse.” 1990 declared as the "SAARC Year of the Girl Child". Launch of "SAARC-2000-A Basic Needs Perspective".

5th Summit (1990):Venue: Male Decision to build the SAARC Tuberculosis Centre and

the SAARC Documentation Centre in Bangladesh and India respectively.

Declaration of the period 1991-2000 as the “Decade of the girl child”.

6th Summit (1991):Venue: Colombo. Decision to establish an independent South Asian

Commission on Poverty Alleviation. Approval for the Inter Governmental Group to be set up.  

7th Summit (1993):Venue: Dhaka Commitment to end poverty in South Asia by 2002 through a

set of strategies known as the “Agenda of Actions.” Appreciation for the first ever South Asian festival of SAARC

Countries held in 1992. The festival promoted culture. 

8th Summit (1995):Venue: Delhi 1994 marked as the SAARC Year of Youth. 1996 marked as the SAARC Year of Literacy.

9th Summit (1997):Venue: Male 1997 designated the "SAARC Year of Participatory

Governance" . Agreement to study the social compulsions that lead to

child labour. 10th Summit (1998):Venue: Colombo Decision to setup a committee of experts to aide in the

formulation of SAFTA. Directive for the formulation of SAARC’s social charter

issued. 11th Summit (2002):Venue: Kathmandu 12th Summit (2004):Venue: Islamabad

13th Summit (2005):Venue: Dhaka 2006-2015 declared as the “Decade of Poverty Alleviation”. Agreements signed related to customs assistance, arbitration and tax

assistance.

14th Summit (2007):Venue: Dehli SAARC Agenda for Culture launched. South Asian university to be established in India.

15th Summit (2008):Venue: Colombo.

16th Summit(2010):Venue: Thimpu Agreement to form the South Asia Forum. 17th Summit (2011):Venue: Addu Citty Declarations and endorsements.

MINISTERIAL MEETINGS

Meetings held between the ministers of member states of various portfolios.More than 30 such meetings have been held.

Rawalpindi Resolution: August 1996 Related to the issue of children rights. Declaration of safeguarding of rights of

children to an education plus curbing child labor.

Environment Ministers meeting: April 1997 Reaffirmation of goals of international

conventions. Proposal for environmental safeguarding of

South Asian seas.

Commerce Minister’s Meeting: May 1998. Held in Geneva right after the WTO ministerial

meeting. Joint statement demanding the rights of developing

nations.

Islamabad Declaration: July 2005 Related to health issues. Agreement to setup Expert Group on Population to

aide sharing of expertise and experience related to population issues.

Emphasis laid on achieving the MDGs and on allocating a larger share of GDP on health related matters.

Cooperation in Counter Terrorism: Colombo 2009. Ratification and implementation of SAARC

Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

Establishment of High Level Group of Eminent Experts.

SUCCESSESAND

FAILURES

ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

SAPTA(SAARC preferential trading arrangement)was signed on 7 December, 1995

SAFTA(South Asian Free Trade Area) was signed in Islamabad in January 2004

SAARC chamber of commerce and industry (SCCI)

SAARC constitutes South Asian Development Fund(SADF)

Signed an agreement of mutual assistance.

Avoidance of double taxation were signed.

INTEGRATED PROGRAMME OF ACTION

(IPA) Agriculture Rural development Science and technology Health Transport Sports Arts Culture and Population activities

LITERACY AND EDUCATION Till 2013 going to establish a common university

for education in Delhi

POVERTY ALLEVIATION Regional food security essence

Promoted global objective of shelter for all.

TERRORISM AND DRUG TRAFFICKING

Convention on terrorism was signed in November,1987

SAARC convention on narcotic drugs signed on November, 1990

SAARC terrorist offences monitoring desk(STOMD)

SAARC drug offences monitoring desk(SDOMD)

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE CONTACT

• SAVE (SARRC Audio Visual Exchange) was implemented.

• Library of SAARC

• Talks between countries leads to the diffusion of tension

FALIURES OF SAARC India tries to dominate the function and

activities of SAARC

Large variety of different political system

Large variety regional and cultural differences

They lack financial resources and advance technologies

Involvement of external actors

Internal problems constituting social economic and developmental and growth issues.

Bilateral disputes and differences

Food Security Reserve failed to meet the need of Bangladesh

Suffers from an acute resource crunch