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| PERSPECTIVE |
‘We
Can Achieve A Lot For The People Of South Asian In The Coming Years’
By
Q.A.M.A. Rahim Compared to
other regional organizations SAARC is rather young. Despite a lot of criticism on its slow
progress, I must tell you that we have come a long way since 1985 when the Charter was
adopted and SAARC was formally launched. Our progress may have been modest in the past
years but the future need not be the same. Given our huge potential, we can achieve a lot
for the people of South Asian in the coming years. At the Eleventh Summit in Kathmandu,
the Leaders solemnly renewed their pledge to strengthen the Association and to make it
more cohesive, result oriented and forward looking by adopting clearly defined programs
and effective implementation strategies in line with popular expectations. The
pronouncement made during the last Summit to give effect to the shared aspirations for a
more prosperous South Asia and to work for realization of the vision of a phased and
planned process eventually leading to a South Asian Economic Union is a testimony to our
collective will to move forward. The forthcoming
Summit could be a watershed development for the region for several reasons, I would just
like to9 mention a few. First, a framework treaty for the South Asian Free Trade Area
(SAFTA), which is being finalized, will be considered by the next summit. If signed, this
will pave the way towards the eventual creation of a South Asian Economic Union, as
envisioned by our leaders. Second, the text of the SAARC social charter is also ready and
is expected to be signed by the Leaders at that time. The Charter encompasses a broad
range of targets to be achieved across the region in areas of poverty eradication,
empowerment of women, youth mobilization, human resources, development, promotion of
health and nutrition, protection of children etc. Third, the reconstituted Independent
South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA), as per the directive of the last
Summit has been working on its Report and is ready with it for submission at the Summit.
Their recommendations will go a long way in our collective struggle against the scourge of
poverty in the region. Fourth, the Summit will consider proposals for establishment of
three new regional centers, namely the SAARC Cultural Center in Sri Lanka, the SAARC
Center for Coastal Zone Management in the Maldives and the SAARC Media Center in Nepal. The teeming
millions of our region have a lot of expectations from SAARC. A conducive environment for
their all round development is of utmost importance. The promotion of a South Asian
Identity through more people-to-people contacts may go a long way in creating such an
environment. We at the Secretariat are fully committed to realizing this objective. You
will be happy to know that this year we are not only celebrating this day in Kathmandu at
the Secretariat but in some other capitals as well through the various SAARC regional
centers. Member States have been requested to organize special events to commemorate this
day. We have also proposed to the Member States to consider celebrating this day in
various non-SAARC capitals through their missions and involving South Asian communities. With the holding
of the next Summit in Islamabad, we will have a new chair by the turn of the year. Let me
take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to His Majesty’s Government of
Nepal for sincerely supporting all SAARC activities during its extended tenure of
Chairmanship. Over the last two years, Nepal as the chair, hosted a large number of SAARC
events to keep the momentum generated by the Kathmandu Summit alive. I am sure, Nepal as
an active Member of SAARC and particularly as the host of the SAARC Secretariat will
continue to lend its support to the cause of our organization in the coming days.
Excerpt of a
statement given by the SAARC secretary general on the occasion SAARC Charter Day. n |
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