saarc
TRANSCRIPT
Presented By- Singam Nishant
SAARC-INTRODUCTION
• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
• Is an economic and geopolitical organization of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia or the Indian subcontinent.
• The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. • The combined economy of SAARC is the third largest
in the world in the terms of GDP (PPP) after the United States and China and fifth largest in the terms of nominal GDP.
• India makes up over 70% of the area and population among these eight nations.
• As of 2015 foreign exchange reserves of SAARC nations stands at USD 411 billion.
• Established on 8th December 1985 by the member states.
• Then the organisation expanded and accepting one new full member Afghanistan and several observer members
Arjun Bahadur Thapasecretary-general SAARC
Regional Centers• SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC), Dhaka• SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC), Dhaka• SAARC Tuberculosis Centre (STC), Kathmandu• SAARC Documentation Centre (SDC), New Delhi• SAARC Human Resources Development Centre (SHRDC),
Islamabad• SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC), Maldives• SAARC Information Centre (SIC), Nepal• SAARC Energy Centre (SEC), Pakistan• SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC), India• SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC), Bhutan• SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Sri Lanka
SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu
• States with observer status include Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea and the United States.
Observers States
Objective of SAARC• Promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and improve their quality of life;• Accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region
by providing all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and 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;• Promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social,
cultural, technical and scientific fields;• Strengthen co-operation with other developing countries;• Strengthen co-operation among themselves in international forms on matters of
common interest; and• Cooperate with international and regional organisation with similar aims and
purposes.
The eighteenth summit of 'South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation' (SAARC) was held in Kathmandu, the capital
of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal during 26–27 November 2014
SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme
• The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992. The leaders at the Fourth Summit (Islamabad, 29-31 December 1988), while realizing the importance of having people to people contacts, among the peoples of SARC countries, decided that certain categories of dignitaries should be entitled to a Special Travel document, which would exempt them from visas within the region. As directed by the Summit, the Council of Ministers regularly kept under review the list of entitled categories.
South Asian Free Trade Area• SAFTA was envisaged primarily as the first step towards the
transition to a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) leading subsequently towards a Customs Union, Common Market and Economic Union.
• The SAFTA Agreement was signed on 6 January 2004 during Twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2006, and the Trade Liberalisation Programme commenced from 1 July 2006.
• In 2012 the SAARC exports increased substantially to US$354.6 billion from US$206.7 billion in 2009. Imports too increased from US$330 billion to US$602 billion over the same period.
Kathmandu Declaration
• Important declarations : 1. Regional Cooperation 2. South Asian Economic Union (SAEU)3. SAARC Development Fund4. Connectivity5. Agriculture and Food security6. SAFTA and Trade Facilitation
Sharp drop in aid to SAARC nations