South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

What is SAARC?

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South Asian nations, founded in December 1985 and dedicated to economic, technological, social and cultural development emphasizing collective self-reliance. The combined economy of SAARC Is the 3rd largest in the world in terms of GDP(PPP).

Establishment: 8 Dec 1985

Headquarters: Kathmandu

Official language: English

Member state: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Observers: Australia, China, European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, united states.

Website: saarc-sec.org

Objective of SAARC

• Promoting the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life

• Accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potential.

• Promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of south Asia.

• Contribute to mutual trust, understanding, and appreciation of one another’s problems.

• Promoting active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields.

• Strengthening cooperation with other developing countries.

• Strengthening cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interest.

• Cooperation with international and regional organizations with similar aim and purpose.

PRINCIPLES OF SAARC

As follow:-

• Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political equality and independence of all member 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 issues to be discussed without being prejudiced.

The secretariat

The saarc secretariat is located in Nepal. The secretariat is headed by the secretary-general appointed by the council of ministers. Its functions include:-

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• Coordination, execution, and monitoring of SAARCactivities.
• Servicing the SAARC meetings.
• Works as a communication link between SAARC and other international forums.

India and SAARC

• India occupies 70% of the saarc nation, both economically and geographical.

• The biggest and the industrialized partner of saarc.

• Enormous economic opportunities to foster its economic growth among saarc countries.

• SAPTA play a crucial role in trade liberalization.

• The total value of India's trade with all the saarc countries is just 1/3 of the total trade just with china.

• Prime minister Narender Modi recently said that all eight member of saarc, led by India, can draw up a common plan to eliminate poverty from the region and make south Asia a global power

SUCCESS OF SAARC

• SAPTA(preferential trading arrangement) was signed on 7^th December 1995

• SAFTA(South Asian free trade area) was signed in Islamabad in January 2004.

• SAARC chamber of commerce and industries (SCCI)

• SAARC constitutes south Asian development funds (SADF).

• Literacy and education.

• Poverty alleviation.

Failure of SAARC

• India tries to dominate the function and control the activities of SAARC.

• A large variety of different political systems.

• Large variety regional and cultural differences.

• They lack financial resources and advanced technologies.

• Involvement of external actors.