SAARCSAARC SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR

REGIONAL COOPERATIONREGIONAL COOPERATION

Reasons to BornReasons to Born

Successful performance of EEC,NAFTA and other Successful performance of EEC,NAFTA and other trade blocks.trade blocks.

Improving the employment opportunity.Improving the employment opportunity. Improving the Income and Living Standard.Improving the Income and Living Standard. Technological innovation and development.Technological innovation and development. Expansion of market, in turn producing aggregative Expansion of market, in turn producing aggregative

demand for products and services.demand for products and services. To enrich the economic activity among the nation.To enrich the economic activity among the nation.

Birth of SAARCBirth of SAARC Members made declaration on SAARC in August Members made declaration on SAARC in August

1983.1983.

Formal adaptation of charter of the SAARC was on Formal adaptation of charter of the SAARC was on

December 1985 by the heads of the members of December 1985 by the heads of the members of country.country.

IndiaIndia

BangladeshBangladesh

BhutanBhutan

PakistanPakistan

MaldivesMaldives

NepalNepal

Sri LankaSri Lanka

Objectives of SAARCObjectives of SAARC To improve the quality of life and welfare of To improve the quality of life and welfare of

people of the SAARC member countriespeople of the SAARC member countries To develop the region economically, socially To develop the region economically, socially

and culturallyand culturally To provide the opportunity to the people of the To provide the opportunity to the people of the

region to live in dignity and to exploit their region to live in dignity and to exploit their potentialitiespotentialities

Objectives (contdObjectives (contd)) To enhance the self-reliance of the member To enhance the self-reliance of the member

countries jointlycountries jointly To provide conductive climate for creating and To provide conductive climate for creating and

enhancing mutual trust, understanding and enhancing mutual trust, understanding and application of one another’s issuesapplication of one another’s issues

To enhance the cooperation with other To enhance the cooperation with other developing economies developing economies

Objectives (contdObjectives (contd)) To enhance the mutual assistance among the To enhance the mutual assistance among the

member countries in the areas of economic, member countries in the areas of economic, social, cultural, scientific and technical fieldssocial, cultural, scientific and technical fields

To have unity among the member countries To have unity among the member countries regarding the issues of common interest in the regarding the issues of common interest in the international forumsinternational forums

To extend cooperation to other trade blocksTo extend cooperation to other trade blocks

SummitSummit YearYear VenueVenue11stst SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 7 - 8 December 19857 - 8 December 1985 DhakaDhaka

22ndnd SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 16 - 17 November 198616 - 17 November 1986 BangaloreBangalore

33rdrd SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 2 - 4 November 19872 - 4 November 1987 KathmanduKathmandu

44thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 29 - 31 December 198829 - 31 December 1988 IslamabadIslamabad

55thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 21 - 23 November 199021 - 23 November 1990 Male'Male'

66thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 21 December 199121 December 1991 ColomboColombo

77thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 10 - 11 April 199310 - 11 April 1993 DhakaDhaka

88thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 2 - 4 May 19952 - 4 May 1995 New DelhiNew Delhi

99thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 12 - 14 May 199712 - 14 May 1997 Male'Male'

1010thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 29 - 31 July 199829 - 31 July 1998 ColomboColombo

1111thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 4 - 6 January 20024 - 6 January 2002 KathmanduKathmandu

1212thth SAARC Summit SAARC Summit 2 - 6 January 20042 - 6 January 2004 IslamabadIslamabad

YEARYEAR Name of the yearName of the year

19891989 SAARC Year of Combating Drug Abuse and Drug TraffickingSAARC Year of Combating Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking

19901990 SAARC Year of Girl ChildSAARC Year of Girl Child

19911991 SAARC Year of ShelterSAARC Year of Shelter

19921992 SAARC Year of EnvironmentSAARC Year of Environment

19931993 SAARC Year of Disabled PersonsSAARC Year of Disabled Persons

19941994 SAARC Year of the YouthSAARC Year of the Youth

19951995 SAARC Year of Poverty EradicationSAARC Year of Poverty Eradication

19961996 SAARC Year of LiteracySAARC Year of Literacy

19971997 SAARC Year of Participatory GovernanceSAARC Year of Participatory Governance

19991999 SAARC Year of BiodiversitySAARC Year of Biodiversity

2002-20032002-2003 SAARC Year of Contribution of Youth to EnvironmentSAARC Year of Contribution of Youth to Environment

20042004 SAARC Awareness Year for TB and HIV/AIDSSAARC Awareness Year for TB and HIV/AIDS

20052005 South Asia Tourism YearSouth Asia Tourism Year

YearYear DecadesDecades

1991-20001991-2000 SAARC Decade of the Girl ChildSAARC Decade of the Girl Child

2001-20102001-2010 SAARC Decade of the Rights of the ChildSAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child

Organization Structure of SAARCOrganization Structure of SAARC

The council

Council of ministers

Programming Committee

Secretariat

Technical Committee

Standing Committee

The CouncilThe Council RepresentativeRepresentative

s:s: Represented by the Represented by the

heads of foreign heads of foreign Minister of the Minister of the member of member of GovernmentGovernment

Meeting:Meeting: The Council meets The Council meets

once in two years.once in two years.

Functions:Functions: The Highest Policy The Highest Policy

making bodymaking body

Council of ministersCouncil of ministers

Representatives:Representatives: Represented by the foreign ministers of Represented by the foreign ministers of

member Governmentsmember Governments

Meeting:Meeting: The Council meets twice a year or more times The Council meets twice a year or more times

if necessaryif necessary

Functions of Council of Functions of Council of ministersministers

It reviews the functioning

Of whole body system

It formulates policiesIt formulates policies

Decides the new Decides the new

areas of coordinationareas of coordination

among the nationsamong the nations

Establishment of any Establishment of any

additional mechanism if anyadditional mechanism if any

Decides the issues of generalDecides the issues of general

interests to the SAARC member countries interests to the SAARC member countries

Standing CommitteeStanding Committee

Representatives:Representatives: It consists of Foreign secretaries of members It consists of Foreign secretaries of members

governmentsgovernments

Meeting:Meeting: It is uncertainIt is uncertain Meeting will be held whenever there is a Meeting will be held whenever there is a

necessarynecessary

Functions of Standing Functions of Standing CommitteeCommittee

Determining inter-sectoral

priorities

Formulating the modalities of financing

Monitoring and coordinating programmes

Mobilizing Co-operation within and outside region

Functions of Standing Committee

Programming CommitteeProgramming CommitteeRepresentatives:Representatives: It includes the senior officials of the member It includes the senior officials of the member

GovernmentsGovernments Functions of Programming

committee

Analyzing the reports and submitting them to

the Standing Committeealong with its components

Scrutinisingthe budget

of the Secretariat

Finalizing the annualschedule

of the secretariat

Carrying out the Activities assigned

by the Standing Committee

Technical committeeTechnical committeeRepresentatives:Representatives: It comprises the representatives of all It comprises the representatives of all

countries.countries. Functions of Technical Committee

Formulating Projects &

programmes in their

respective areas

Monitoring & Implementing

Projects

Submitting reports to the Standing

Committee via the Programme

Committee

Technical Committees of Technical Committees of SAARCSAARC

Rural Development

2000

Science & Technology

1983Tourism & Transport

2005

Health & Population activities

1984

Environment2000

Communications2004

Agriculture2000

Technical Committees

of SAARC

Regional CentresRegional CentresRegional centre Venue Year

SAIC Dhaka 1988

STC Kathmandu 1992

SDC New Delhi 1994

SMRC Dhaka 1995

SHRDC Islamabad 1998

SCZMC Male’ Jun-Jul 2004

SAARC SecretariatSAARC Secretariat It does the Secretarial work of SAARCIt does the Secretarial work of SAARC It is located in NepalIt is located in Nepal The Secretary-General is the chief of the The Secretary-General is the chief of the

secretariatsecretariat The Secretary-General is appointed by the The Secretary-General is appointed by the

Council of Ministers on rotation basis among Council of Ministers on rotation basis among the members for a period of three yearsthe members for a period of three years

Secretary-General is assisted by Seven Secretary-General is assisted by Seven Directors one from each country and General Directors one from each country and General StaffStaff

Activities of SecretariatActivities of Secretariat

Servicing the meetings

of SAARC

Serving as a communication

link between SAARC & other

international forums

Co-ordinating, monitaring &implementing

SAARC activities

SAPTASAPTASAARC PREFERNTIAL TRADING SAARC PREFERNTIAL TRADING

ARRANGEMENTARRANGEMENT It signed by the council of ministers on Apr 11, 1993It signed by the council of ministers on Apr 11, 1993

ObjectivesObjectives To gradually liberalize the trade among member countries of SAARCTo gradually liberalize the trade among member countries of SAARC To eliminate trade barriers among the SAARC countries and reduce or To eliminate trade barriers among the SAARC countries and reduce or

eliminate tariffseliminate tariffs To promote and sustain mutual trade and economic co operation among the To promote and sustain mutual trade and economic co operation among the

member countriesmember countries Product Areas (scope)

All raw materials Semi finished products Finished goods

Administration of Administration of SAPTASAPTA

The benefits to the member The benefits to the member countries would be accorded on countries would be accorded on equitable basis of reciprocity equitable basis of reciprocity and mutualityand mutuality

The agreement would be The agreement would be improved step by step through improved step by step through mutual negotiationsmutual negotiations

The agreement has taken the The agreement has taken the special needs of the less special needs of the less developed countries into developed countries into countriescountries

Special treatment to Special treatment to least developed least developed countries by…countries by…

Providing technical assistance to, Providing technical assistance to, establishing of industrial and establishing of industrial and agricultural projects in order to agricultural projects in order to boost their exportsboost their exports

Enhancing their exports by Enhancing their exports by eliminating non tariff and eliminating non tariff and paratariffs , providing duty free paratariffs , providing duty free access etc. access etc.

Establishing training facilities in Establishing training facilities in the areas of export trade the areas of export trade providing export credit insurance providing export credit insurance and marketing informationand marketing information

Entering into long term Entering into long term contracts.contracts.