SAARC Summit - SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION
the SAARC Charter requires the heads of state or government to meet once a year, the summits have
generally taken place approximately every eighteen months.
First summit[edit]
The first summit was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 7–8 December 1985 and was attended by the Government representative and president of Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the kings of Bhutan and Nepal, and the prime minister of India.[1] They signed the SAARC Charter on 8 December 1985, thereby establishing the regional association, and established study groups on the problems of terrorism and drug trafficking, as well as planning a ministerial-level meeting about GATT, and a ministerial-level conference on increasing the participation of women at the regional level.[1] The summit also agreed to establish a SAARC secretariat and adopted an official SAARC emblem.[1]
Second summit[edit]
The second summit was held in Nov 16-17 Bangalore, India in 1986. The Heads of State or Government welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the SAARC Secretariat by the Council of Ministers and their decision to locate the Secretariat in Kathmandu and appoint Ambassador Abul Ahsan of Bangladesh as the first Secretary-General of SAARC.
Third summit[edit]
The third summit was held in Nepal from 2–4 November 1987, and was attended by the presidents of Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, and the kings of Bhutan and Nepal.[2] The foreign ministers of the member states signed the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and an agreement to establish a South Asian Food Reserve.[2]
Fourth summit[edit]
The fourth summit was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 29–31 December 1988 and was attended by the presidents of Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, and the kings of Bhutan and Nepal.[3]The summit discussed the coup attempt on 3 November 1988, declared 1989 to be the "SAARC Year Against Drug Abuse", declared 1990 to be the "SAARC Year of the Girl Child", set up a technical committee on education, and launched a regional plan called "SAARC-2000-A Basic Needs Perspective" to meet specific targets by the end of the twentieth century in areas such as food, shelter, education and environmental protection.[3] It was also agreed to hold regular "South Asian Festivals" with the first being hosted by India.[3]
Fifth summit[edit]
The fifth summit was held in Malé, Maldives on 21–23 November 1990 and was attended by the presidents of Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of India, Nepal and Pakistan, and the king of Bhutan.[4] The leaders signed the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, launched the Special SAARC Travel Document (providing visa-exemptions for national judges, parliamentarians and academics and their immediate families), launched a Scheme for the Promotion of Organised Tourism, authorized the SAARC secretariat to share information and exchange reports, studies and publications with the European Community and the Association of South East Asian Nations, declared various SAARC years (1991-2000 AD) to be the "SAARC Decade of the Girl Child", 1991 to be the "SAARC Year of Shelter", 1992 to be the "SAARC Year of the Environment", 1993 to be the "SAARC Year of Disabled Persons", and decided to set up the SAARC Tuberculosis Centre in Nepal and the SAARC Documentation Centre in India.[4]
Sixth summit[edit]
The sixth summit was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 21 December 1991 and was attended by the prime ministers of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the king of Bhutan.[5]
Seventh summit[edit]
The seventh summit was held in Dhaka, on 10–11 April 1993, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, and the king of Bhutan.[6]
Eighth summit[edit]
The eighth summit was held in New Delhi, on 2–4 May 1995, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of Bangladesh, India and Nepal, and the king of Bhutan.[7]
Ninth summit[edit]
The ninth summit was held in Malé, on 12–14 May 1997, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the prime ministers of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, and the king of Bhutan.[8]
Tenth summit[edit]
The tenth summit was held in Colombo, on 29–31 July 1998, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka and the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan.[9]
Eleventh summit[edit]
The eleventh summit was held in Kathmandu, on 4–6 January 2002, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.[10]
Twelfth summit[edit]
The twelfth summit was held in Islamabad, on 4–6 January 2004, and was attended by the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka and the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan.[11]
Thirteenth summit[edit]
The thirteenth summit was held in Dhaka, on 12–13 November 2005, and was attended by the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Pakistan, the presidents of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the king of Nepal[12]
Fourteenth summit[edit]
The fourteenth summit of SAARC was held in New Delhi, India on 3rd-4 April 2007, and was attended by the presidents of Afghanistan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka and the prime ministers Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan and the chief adviser of the government of Bangladesh.
Fifteenth summit[edit]
The fifteenth summit of SAARC was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 1–3 August 2008. The issues discussed were regional cooperation, partnership for growth for the peoples of South Asia, connectivity, energy, the environment, water resources, poverty alleviation, the SAARC Development Fund, transport, information and communications technology development, science and technology, tourism, culture, the South Asian Free Trade Area, the SAARC Social Charter, women and children, education, combating terrorism, and the admission of Australia and Myanamar as observers.
Food security[edit]
At the summit, one of the major points of discussion was the global food crisis. The SAARC heads of government made a statement saying "in view of the emerging global situation of reduced food availability and worldwide rise in food prices, we direct that an Extra-ordinary Meeting of the Agriculture Ministers of the SAARC Member States be convened in New Delhi, India in November 2008, to evolve and implement people-centred short to medium term regional strategy and collaborative projects." They also acknowledged the need to forge greater cooperation with the international community to ensure the food availability and nutrition security.[13]
Sixteenth summit[edit]
The sixteenth summit was held in Thimpu, Bhutan on 28–29 April 2010. Bhutan hosted the SAARC summit for the first time. This was marked the silver jubilee celebration of SAARC that was formed in Bangladesh in December 1985. Climate change was the central issue of the summit with summit's theme "Towards a Green and Happy South Asia". Outcome of Thimpu Summit regarding climate change issue:
- SAARC leaders signed a SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment to tackle the problem of climate change.[14]
- The SAARC nations also pledged to plant 10 million trees over the next 5 years.
- India proposed setting up of climate innovation centres in South Asia to develop sustainable energy technologies.
- India offered services of India's mission on sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem to the SAARC member states saying that the initiative could serve as a nucleus for regional cooperation in this vital area.
- India announced "India endowment for climate change" in South Asia to help member states meet their urgent adaption and capacity building needs posed by the climate change.
- The seven-page ‘Thimphu Silver Jubilee Declaration-Towards a Green and Happy South Asia’ emphasised the importance of reducing dependence on high-carbon technologies for economic growth and hoped promotion of climate resilience will promote both development and poverty eradication in a sustainable manner.
Seventeenth summit[edit]
Main article: 17th SAARC summit
The Seventeenth Summit was held from 10-11 of November 2011 in Addu City, Maldives. The Meeting, which was held at the Equatorial Convention Centre, Addu City was opened by the outgoing Chair of SAARC, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan, H.E.Lyonchhen Jigmi Yoezer Thinley.
H.E. Mohamed Nasheed was elected as the Chairperson of the 17th SAARC Summit. In his inaugural address President Nasheed highlighted three areas of cooperation in which progress should be made; trade, transport and economic integration; security issues such piracy and climate change; and good governance. President also called on the Member States to establish a commission to address issues of gender inequalities in South Asia.
The Head of States of all the SAARC Member States addressed the Meeting. The inaugural meeting was attended by Foreign/External Ministers of SAARC Member States, the Secretary General of SAARC, the Heads of Observer Delegation, Cabinet Ministers of the Maldives, Ministers in the visiting delegations and other state dignitaries.
In her address Secretary General stated that the Summit being held under the theme of “Building Bridges” provides further impetus and momentum to build the many bridges that needs to be built: from bridging the gaps created by uneven economic development and income distribution, the gaps in recognizing and respecting the equality of men and women, the closing of space between intent and implementation.
In this Meeting, the Foreign Ministers of the respective Member States signed four agreements;
SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters SAARC Agreement on Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment SAARC Agreement on Implementation of Regional Standards SAARC Seed Bank Agreement In addition, the Addu Declaration of the Seventeenth SAARC Summit was also adopted.
Eighteenth summit[edit]
Main article: 18th SAARC summit
The 18th SAARC Summit will be held at the Nepalese capital Kathmandu from November 26 to November 27, 2014. Its main host is Sushil Koirala and it is taking place in Rastriya Sabha Griha Sanandan Raj, Nepal
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a multination organisation that comprises eight countries located in South Asia. SAARC is an economic organisation of which Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are members. The SAARC was the talk of the town recently when Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited SAARC leaders to attend his swearing-in ceremony on May 26. The invitation was also extended to Pakistan to which its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif readily accepted. India witnessed a historic ceremony as it was also dubbed to be a mini-SAARC Summit.
Starting on November 26, the two-day SAARC Summit will be the 18th session of the multilateral organisation. Nepal will be holding the 18th SAARC meet as the national capital Kathmandu is all set to host neighbouring South-Asian countries. The current session is abuzz with the news of India-Pakistan relations.
There are several facts and figures which one would like to know about the South Asian association. We would like to bring some facts about SAARC Summit in the light which will aptly describe the work, significance and importance of it. Look at the list below:
1. The motto of the SAARC organisation is ‘Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity’.
2. It will surprise many but the official language of SAARC organisation is English.
3. The headquarters of the SAARC association is not in India or Pakistan, but it situated in Kathmandu, Nepal.
4. Not many know that if the Gross Domestic Product (PPP) of these eight nations is combined, it will be the third highest economy in the world, behind United States of America and China.
5. The idea to develop SAARC was first initiated in the year 1980 but it took five years to contemplate it. The first SAARC summit was held in the year 1985 on December 8 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
6. Initially the SAARC organisation comprised of only seven countries. Afghanistan was later added as new full member of the association during the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in April 2007.
7. India has have host the SAARC Summit for three times previously viz. in the year 1986, 1995 and 2007.
Not many know that when India was at war with Pakistan in Kargil, 1999; Pakistan’s Prime Minister was none other than Nawaz Sharif. The Indo-Pak relations found a fresh lease of life when Narendra Modi invited Nawaz Sharif in his oath-taking ceremony. However, Pakistan being Pakistan, the relations soon soured when Pakistani authorities held talks with separatists in Kashmir. Well, it is for sure that the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal will be shadowed with Indo-Pak relations more than anything else
.[15]
Nineteenth summit[edit]
The 19th SAARC Summit will be held in Pakistan in 2015.
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