SAARC

Introduction Of SAARC

• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical organization of eight South Asia nations

• SAARC compromises 3% of the world's area, 21% of the world's population and 9.12% of the global economy, as of 2015

• SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the UN as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the EU

• India and Pakistan have often clouded the union's potential and progress

History

• 1980 the concept of regional political and economic cooperation in South Asia was first thought of and fired the public imagination.

• The idea was discussed in three major conferences: Asian Relations

Conference (New Delhi), Baguio Conference (Philippines) and Colombo Powers Conference (Sri Lanka), which were held between 1947 and 1954

• The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka on 8 December 1985, when the organization was established

• Afghanistan is the only new inclusion that happened since SAARC was established

Agreements

• Establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council• Avoidance of Double Taxation• Customs Matters• Establishing the SAARC food bank• SAFTA(South Asian Free Trade Area)• SARSO(South Asian Regional Standards Organization• Energy Cooperation(Electricity)• Chapter of SDF 31 july 2008

Organisational structurefor SAARC

The SAARC comprises following layers of organizational structure: 1.Council At the top, there is the Council represented by the heads of the

government of the member countries. The council the apex policy making body. It meets once in 2 years time.

2. Council of Minister It is to assist the council. It is represented by the foreign minister

of the member countries. Its functions include: Formulation of policies Review of functioning Deciding new areas of cooperation Decide about general issues of common of interest of the SAARC

member.


3. Standing Committee It is comprised by the foreign secretariat of the member

government. Its major functions are: To monitor and co-ordinate the programs To determine inter-sectored priorities. To mobilize cooperation within and outside the region To deal with the modalities of financing.

4. Programming Committee: It consist of the senior official of the member governments. Its functions include: Scrutinizing the budget of the secretarial. Finalizing the annual schedule. External activities assigned by the standing committee. Analyses the respects of the technical committee.


5. Technical Committee: It consist of the represented of the member nations. Its function are: To formulate project and programmer To monitor and execute the projects To submit reports. The Technical Committee convers the areas such as:

Agriculture, Communication, Environment, Rural Development, Health and Population, Science and Technology, Tourism and Transport.


6. Secretarial: The SAARC secretarial is located in Nepal. Its function include: Coordination, execution and monitoring of SAARC activities Servicing the SAARC meetings Work as communication link between the SAARC and other

international forum. The secretariats is headed by the secretary-General appointed

by the Council of Ministers. These are 8 Director (One from each member nation) and the general service staff.

Achievements of SAARC1. SAFTAA Free Trade Agreement confined to goods, but excluding all services like information technology. Agreement was signed to reduce customs duties of all traded goods to zero by the year 2016.

2. SAPTASouth Asia Preferential Trading Agreement for promoting trade amonst the member countries came into effect in 1995.

3. SAARC visa exemption decided that certain categories of dignitaries should be entitled to a Special Travel document, which would exempt them from visas within the region.

4. Greater cultural co-operation

5. Advantages To Least Developed CountriesIt has provided forum for bilateral and regional agreements to the small poor nations for collaboration among themselves for development.

Limitations of SAARC

1. Domination of IndiaIndia has 70% area amongst all SAARC countries. Also remaining small countries does not share border with each others except for Pakistan- Afghanistan.

2. Political differencesThe political differences had deep negative impact on the political will to realize the economic cooperation and integration.

3. Inequality among membersThe member states except India have still not reached the take-off stage to be able to pursue the program of economic integration and collaboration.

Continue…..4. The South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) was signed in the 7th summit at Dhaka in April 93, but it has not yet been operationalized. The proposal to establish South Asian Food Reserve and South Asian Development Fund have also met the same fate. Similarly declarations on enhancing political cooperation and promotion of mutual trust and understanding reiterated in each summit have registered limited success.

5. SAARC charter excludes bilateral and contentious issues discussion on forum

6. Obstructionist policies of Pakistan has created problems in economic cooperation

7. No progress in road and rail connectivity which is obstacle for trade.

8. Most of the countries are poor except for India and lack full fledged democratic structure.

Education

SAARC