SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation)

UN Secretary General, Ban ki Moon says “Climate change, demographics, water, food, energy, global health, women’s empowerment – these issues are all intertwined. We cannot look at one strand in isolation. Instead, we must examine how these strands are woven together.”
No one can live entirely on their own, nor can any country or society exist in isolation. Globalization has produced a new of level of interdependence among Nations. The economy and multinational supply chains do not abide by political boundaries. A computer ordered in Brazil is designed in California and assembled in several other countries. Economic integration was the first strong evidence of a new era.
SAARC is one such organisation which works with interdependence of its member Nation. A good topic to study & many questions are asked in exams..

So lets gear up, to know about —- SAARC
Organisation for Economic and Geopolitical growth of member Nations
Members : 8 (South Asian countries)
India,Nepal,Bhutan,Bangladesh,Srilanka,Maldives,Pakistan & Afghanistan

• Latest member Nation is Afghanistan added in 2007 April
• Proposed by Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman on 2 May 1980
• First summit was held in Dhaka on 8 December 1985
• SAARC Secretariat– Kathmandu, Nepal

Motive- to promote socio-cultural development,boost economy of member Nations.
Its a trade bloc and provide a platform for the people of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding.

• The official meetings of the leaders of each nation are held annually while the foreign ministers meet twice annually.
• 18th SAARC Summit Kathmandu IN 2014.
• 19th Summit to be held in Islamabad
• 3 SAARC summits are held in India till now
• 2 nd Summit Bengaluru under Prime Ministership of Rajiv Gandhi in 1986
• 8th summit in New Delhi under Narsimha Rao in 1995
• 14th summit in New Delhi under Manmohan Singh in 2007

The first secretary general was Abul Hasan (16 January 1985 – 5 October 1989) the first female secretary general was Fathima Dhayana Sied (Maldivis). The first secretary general from India was Kant Kishore Bhargava (17 Oct 1989 – 31 Dec 1991)
Current Secretary General of SAARC – Arjun Bahadur Thapa

Observer status : Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea and the United States
SAARC has regional center operated in member states which are governed by representative of member nations, SAARC secretary general, & Ministry of Foreign/External Affairs of the Host Government

For eg : SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC), SAARC Documentation Centre (SDC) are in India(New Delhi)

Matter of concern-Terrorism,Border Disputes

South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)

• A way ahead to Customs Union, Common Market and Economic Union
• Timeline for SAFTA
• 1995 Members agreed on the need to strive for the realisation of SAFTA
• 1996 Inter-Governmental Expert Group (IGEG) was set up to identify the necessary steps for progressing to a free trade area
• 1998 Committee of Experts (COE) to draft a comprehensive treaty framework for creating a free trade area within the region, taking into consideration the asymmetries in development within the region and bearing in mind the need to fix realistic and achievable targets
• 2004 SAFTA was signed in Pakistan
• 2006 SAFTA enforced, Trade Liberalisation Programme commenced

Under this agreement, SAARC members will bring their duties down to 20 per cent by 2009
Plans ahead – To reduce customs duties of all traded goods to zero by the year 2016.

SAARC Awards–to recognize, encourage & honour the contribution made by people of member Nations.
The SAARC Award comprises of a gold medal, a letter of citation, and cash prize of US $25,000 (₹15 lakhs). Since the institution of the SAARC Award in 2004, it has been awarded only once and the Award was posthumously conferred upon the late President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh
SAARC Literary Award for Literature
The SAARC Youth Award to outstanding individuals from the SAARC region

This is all about SAARC..
All the best 🙂 Keep studying & working hard..