When was the saarc established

Later in February, , a meeting of the SAARC foreign ministers revisited the scheme approved a proposal to exempt 19 categories of people from visa requirement and agreed on a liberalized scheme under which select journalists, business persons and sportspersons can be given long-term multi-entry visas after prior clearance. The SAARC Youth Awards Scheme was introduced in with a view to promoting extraordinary young talents and encouraging the overall development of the youth in the region.

The Agreement provides for cooperation on development issues through joint studies, workshops and seminars and exchange of information and documentation in poverty alleviation, human resource development, trade promotion, foreign direct investment, environmental protection and prevention of drug trafficking, infrastructure development, etc.

The Agreement envisages cooperation in implementing the relevant SAARC decisions relating to Children through an annual agenda which include joint studies, exchange of documentation and monitoring of implementation. They will also exchange technical and operational details of plans for improvement of national, regional and international telecommunications network. The MOU embodies a general agreement for broad-based collaboration with the aims and purposes of promoting sustainable human development for attaining poverty elimination, preservation and protection of environment, regeneration of natural resources, employment creation, and the goals of women in development; undertakes periodic consultation for joint activities, publishing studies on priority concerns, and exchanging relevant reports.

The Memorandum contains provisions for mutual consultation and exchange of information between the two organizations. In addition, the two organizations have agreed to seek each other's technical cooperation in pursuing their respective drug control activities in areas of drug supply and demand reduction to assist in the development and implementation of activities, such as human resource development, improving regional cooperation on drug intelligence through the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk, establishment of a networking arrangement among existing institutions in drug abuse prevention, etc.

Colombo Plan. The Speakers Council which is the Apex Body of the Association finalized and ratified the draft rules of the Association prepared by the Parliamentary Secretaries-General in January, Since then they have met periodically and addressed issues of common interest to member countries.

The establishment of SCCI is a significant development and it will act as a dynamic instrument for the promotion of regional cooperation in the areas of trade and economic relations. Established with the twin objectives of bringing together the legal communities within the region for closer cooperation and developing law as a source towards social change for development, SAARCLAW has been convening periodic conferences covering important areas of common interest to member countries.

Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. History 3. Membership 4. General Provisions 4. Organization Structure 5. Council of Ministers 5. Standing Committee 5.

Technical Committees 5. Programming Committees 5. Secretariat 6. Areas of cooperation 9. Agriculture and rural development 9. Investment and commercial dispute settlement 9. Biotechnology 9. Culture 9. Economic and Trade 9. Education 9. Energy 9. Environment 9. Finance 9. Funding mechanism 9. Information and communication technology 9. Poverty alleviation 9. Science and technology 9. Security aspects 9.

Drug and drug related crimes 9. Terrorism 9. Police matters 9. Social development 9. Tourism SAARC visa exemption scheme Awards and scholarships SAARC observer states ESCAP APT UNDP UNDCP ITU Key Documents Selected Bibliography Useful Links 1.

History In the late 's, the then Presidentof Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman proposed the creation of a trade bloc consisting of South Asian countries and with this end in view, he wrote communicated with the heads of governments of South Asian countries.

Technical Committees Technical Committees consist of representatives of Member States are responsible for the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the programs in their respective areas of cooperation.

Agriculture and rural development Regional cooperation on agriculture and rural development has been in the focus of SAARC from its inception. Investment and commercial dispute settlement With a view to creating conditions favorable for fostering greater investment by investors of one member state in the territory of another member state of SAARC and for providing a regional forum for settlement of commercial disputes by conciliation and arbitration, Agreement for Establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council was signed during the Thirteenth SAARC Summit held in Dhaka on November Biotechnology The need to promote cooperation in the area of biotechnology has been recognized by the heads of States at various SAARC Summits since Education SAARC countries have been cooperating in the development of various dimensions of human resource.

Energy The South Asian region is energy deficient as it does not produce enough oil and gas to meet its needs thus depends heavily on imports. Information and communication technology Communication plays a vital role in building regional cooperation. Poverty alleviation Since the inception of SAARC, its member states have been working together with a view to alleviating poverty in the region. Science and technology At the thirteenth summit held in Dhaka on 13 November , SAARC leaders decided to give priority attention to encourage regional cooperation in the areas of science and technology to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Security aspects Regional cooperation in the areas security among the SAARC member states has seen significant development. Social development Acceleration of social progress through active collaboration and mutual assistance amongst Member States was a primary objective of SAARC. Latest News. About Us. Regional Secretariat. Social Media. Featured Campaign.

The meeting of the senior officials, which is to be held in Sri Lanka, will also prepare the ground for a Ministerial-level meeting. They noted that the great power rivalry, which the Non-Aligned Movement NAM had consistently opposed, no longer posed a serious threat and the danger of a global nuclear conflagration had abated. The Member States underscored their commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and the need for promoting nuclear disarmament on a universal basis, under effective international control.

They recognized that global nonproliferation goals could not be achieved in the absence of progress towards nuclear disarmament and in this context called upon all NWS, whether party or non-party to the NPT, to engage constructively through a transparent and credible process of negotiations at the CD.

The Member States urged the CD to commence negotiations on a comprehensive, universal, and non-discriminatory international instrument prohibiting the use or the threat of nuclear weapons as well as eliminating such weapons in existing arsenals. In this regard, they recognized the need to start negotiations through the CD and to establish a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons within a specified framework of time, including a Nuclear Weapons Convention.

In the declaration of the Eighth SAARC Summit in May , in New Delhi, India, the Member States noted that while the international community had successfully created a norm against chemical and biological weapons, it had, unfortunately, been unable to do the same with regard to nuclear weapons.

They expressed the conviction that more needed to be done and at a far greater pace. They reiterated that the utmost priority was to be given to nuclear disarmament, given the danger posed by nuclear weapons. The Member States urged the CD to negotiate an international convention prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances and to undertake negotiations for the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons within a specified period of time.

In the declaration of the Seventh SAARC Summit in April, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Member States noted a number of recent positive developments in the area of nuclear, chemical, and conventional disarmament, including the agreements on bilateral arms reductions between the United States and Russia. The Member States urged all NWS to collectively endeavor to attain the ultimate goal of complete elimination of nuclear arsenals in the shortest possible time.

They noted the changing power structures in international relations and the reduction of confrontations and tensions, particularly among the United States and USSR. These have contributed to the receding of the threat of nuclear confrontation and to agreements on disarmament measures.

The Member States hoped that these developments would restrain the pursuit of military power in all areas of the world and expressed hope that the peace dividend would be used for promoting the further development of developing countries. They welcomed the trend towards popularly based democratic governments in different parts of the world, including in South Asia.

While welcoming the measures being considered for arms reduction at the global level, they were convinced that the objective could be best achieved through the promotion of mutual trust and confidence among the Member States. They underlined the inherent relationship between disarmament and development and called upon all countries, especially those possessing the largest nuclear and conventional arsenals, to re-channel additional financial resources, human energy, and creativity into development.

Member States expressed their support for the banning of chemical weapons and early conclusion of a CTBT. They declared their intention to continue their efforts to contribute to the realization of the objective of halting the nuclear arms race and eliminating nuclear weapons, as well as declared their resolve to support every effort to conclude a treaty prohibiting vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The States also called for the early conclusion in the Geneva CD of a CTBT and a Convention to Ban Chemical Weapons, declared their intention to continue their efforts to contribute to the implementation of the objective of halting the nuclear arms race and eliminating nuclear weapons, and declared their resolve to support every effort to conclude a treaty prohibiting vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons.

They, however, noted with satisfaction that the proposals made at the Summit were still on the table and expressed the earnest hope that the negotiations would be resumed without delay so that a decisive step could be taken towards realizing the ultimate goal of eliminating nuclear weapons altogether. In the declaration of the First SAARC Summit the Member States expressed concern at the deteriorating international political situation and the unprecedented escalation of the arms race, particularly in its nuclear aspect.

They recognized that mankind was confronted with the threat of self-extinction arising from a massive accumulation of the most destructive weapons ever produced and that the arms race intensified international tension and violated the principles of the UN Charter.

In this connection, they welcomed the recent meeting between President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev in Geneva and expressed the hope that the meeting would have a positive effect on international peace and security.

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Established Meetings of Heads of State or Government Meetings are held at the Summit level, usually on an annual basis. Standing Committee of Foreign Secretaries The Committee provides overall monitoring and coordination, determines priorities, mobilizes resources, and approves projects and financing.