SAARC focus partnership for our people

With great expectations for a thriving future:

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

[email protected]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa extends a warm welcome to Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Presidential Secretariat

Prime Minister of Pakistan Yosuf Raza Gilani warmly greeted by President Rajapaksa on arrival.

With the hope of creating an effective partnership among the member countries of the South Asian region was the great expectation that prompted the formation of our own South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), back in the 1980s.

The SAARC was established when its Charter was formally adopted on 8 December 1985 by the heads of state of the Governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan was joined the groups at the behest of India on November 13, 2005 and became a member on April 3, 2007.

Terrorism, with food security and energy have been listed as a major discussing points at the current Summit held in Colombo.

Better partnership

The Summit, as we expect, will dwell exhaustively on strengthening opportunities of interactions for the sake of overcoming any misconception among the public at large.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Prasad Kariyawasam told the media last week that SAARC will transform from its declaratory status into an implementation status with this year’s theme “The SAARC: Partnership for our people”.

A number of issues, including the SAARC Fund, regional food and energy security and combating terrorism at the regional level is under focus in this summit at various levels.

President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai with President Rajapaksa	Prime Minister of Pakistan Yosuf Raza Gilani with President Rajapaksa
Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonpo Jigmi Y Thinley greeted by President Rajapksa	Head of State and Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed with President Rajapaksa

The Colombo Declaration of food security is hoped to be formalised at the end of the Summit. The question of modern agriculture and effective use of non-farm sector might emerge for consideration.

The Standing Committee meeting was held with the foreign secretaries of the eight member countries focusing on issues relating to regional food and energy security and collectively combating terrorism.

These efforts will obviously ensure opportunities to augment the areas of co-operation, but use of solar power and hydro-electricity to meet the growing demand of power shall be more useful at this stage. The establishment of a Regional Food Bank shall help to overcome the emerging problems of the member states.

For a better SAARC

Sri Lanka has an important role in South Asian cooperation as we have a better relationship with other SAARC nations that could be a positive influence in the decision making process of SAARC.

For a better SAARC, all member countries should consider the pattern and extent of relationship among nations taking in to serious consideration the internal socio-political environment for building of a common goal for the region. This gathering of South Asian Heads of the States/Governments is very important because of the volatile situation running throughout the region.

The principal task that the leaders of states should prioritize is the global, regional and bilateral issues and challenges which should be overcome through a combined initiative and method.

The experience of the SAARC Co-operative Council might play a major role in ensuring sustainable economy in the rural areas. Equally, the SAARC Quadrangle Milk Grid should be made functional to help the white revolution in member countries.

There could be total commitment on certain issues as provided in the Social Charter signed in 2004 in Pakistan. Article III of the Social Charter on poverty alleviation, Article IV on Health, Article V on education and human resource development, are important to ensure people’s partnership in the right spirit.

Promote economic, social and cultural development of our peoples and to improve the quality of their lives; collaboration in economic, social, cultural technical and scientific fields; mutual trust and understanding among the peoples of South Asia; collaboration among themselves in international forums in matters of common interest and strengthen collective self reliance among the countries of South Asia were the principal objectives SAARC countries set for themselves.

Seven Technical Committees were also established in terms of the work involved with regard to the ‘Integrated Programme of Action,’ which was launched at the first meeting of the foreign ministers, which was held in Delhi in 1983. It was also decided to establish the following Regional Centres, with each such centre to be managed by a governing board;

1. Regional Agricultural Information Centre

2. Documentation Centre

3. Human Resources Development Centre

4. Tuberculosis Prevention Centre

5. Meteorological Research Centre.

The institutional set-up established is comprehensive in terms of achieving the goals the leaders had set for our countries. The highest authority of the association would rest with the heads of state. The Council of Ministers would be responsible for the formulation of policies, reviewing progress and deciding on new areas of progress. The Council was expected to meet twice a year.

The Standing Committee, comprising foreign secretaries of the member states, the present committee chaired by Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona is another significantly important set up in the total SAARC structure. Their responsibility was to monitor and coordinate programmes. It was to meet as often as was deemed necessary and to report to the Council of Ministers.

An all important committee for regional economic cooperation was established from which emerged the SAARC Preferential Trade initiative, or the SAPTA. This Committee on Economic Cooperation was to comprise of the secretaries of commerce and trade of the member states to strengthen and enhance inter-governmental cooperation in the fields of trade and economic relations.

The SAPTA framework agreement was signed at the Dhaka Summit and came into operation in 1983. Following the SAPTA it was decided at the 10th Summit in Colombo in 1998 to set up a committee to draft a comprehensive treaty to create a free trade area within the region.

It is noteworthy to mention some of the other similar valuable initiatives such as steps taken to support the enhancement of the financial systems of SAARC countries through building institutional capacity and the need to establish a network of researchers on global, financial and economic issues and developments, to help analyse and assist member states of SAARC to face global financial and economic developments along with the Social Charter and the Poverty Alleviation project.

The SAARC Social Charter highlights securing of the rights of women and children as the foremost consideration and has received the highest priority.

Poverty alleviation

The other important SAARC initiative was the elimination of poverty established at the sixth SAARC Summit in Colombo in 1991. It had been decided to set up an independent South Asia Commission on Poverty Alleviation.

The Summit meetings that followed welcomed the initiative and expressed their commitment to eradicate poverty in South Asia through an agenda of action which would include a strategy for social mobilization, a policy of decentralized agricultural development, village awakening, small-scale labour intensive industrialisation and human development.

SAARC has come a long way yet it has walk miles further to bring in a prosperous South Asia. Its inability to play a crucial role in integrating South Asia is often credited to the inter and intra political and military rivalries.

It is due to these economic, political, and territorial disputes that South Asian nations have not been able to harness the benefits of a unified economy. Building of a social safety net for the people of South Asia is the goal, and should be the principal goal, for SAARC leaders.

If they could be able to make it possible, the upcoming SAARC Summit might be a remarkable one.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh flanked by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and Madam Singh.

President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Madam Gayoom with President Rajapaksa and the First Lady.

Nepal’s Prime Minister, Girija Prasad Koirala and Madam Koirala with President Rajapaksa and the First Lady.