Introduction, Objectives, Regional Centers, Apex and Recognized Bodies and Regional Agreements of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

1. SAARC
Dr. Gopal Krishna Rathore
Associate Professor
Mandsaur University
gopalk1983@gmail.com
South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation

2. SAARC countries on Map
Secretariat of the South
Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation
in Kathmandu, Nepal

3. Headquarters Kathmandu
Official languages English
Demonym(s) South Asian
Member states 8 members[show]
9 observers[show]
Leaders
• Secretary-General Amjad Hussain B. Sial
[1]
Establishment 8-Dec-85
Area
• Total 5,099,611 km2(1,968,971 sq mi) (7th)
• Water (%) 6.8
Population
• 2015 estimate 1,713,870,000
[2]
(1st)
• Density 336.1/km
2
(870.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP) 2017 estimate
• Total US$11.64 trillion
[3]
(3rd)
GDP (nominal) 2017 estimate
• Total US$ 3.31 trillion
[3]
(5th)
Currency 8 currencies[s

4. Country
President / Head of
State
Prime Minister
Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani
Abdullah Abdullah(CEO)
Bangladesh Abdul Hamid Sheikh Hasina
Bhutan
King Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck Lotay Tshering
India Ram Nath Kovind Narendra Modi
Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari Khadga Prasad Oli
Pakistan Arif Alvi Imran Khan
Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena Ranil Wickremesinghe

5. Introduction –
•The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was
established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8
December 1985.
•SAARC comprises of Eight Member States: Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka.
•The Secretariat of the Association was set up in Kathmandu on 17
January 1987.
Observer Contries -
States with observer status include:
1. Australia,2.China,3.The European Union, 4.Iran, 5. Japan,
6.Mauritius, 7.Myanmar, 8.South Korea and 9. The United
States.

6. Objectives of SAARC
The objectives of the Association as outlined in the SAARC Charter are:
 To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
 To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to
provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potentials;
 To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
 To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;
 To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical
and scientific fields;
 To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
 To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common
interests;
 To cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes.

7. Regional Centres
The SAARC Secretariat is supported by following Regional
Centres established in the Member States to promote regional
co-operation.
S. No. Regional Centre Location Country
1. SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC) Dhaka Bangladesh
2. SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC) Dhaka Bangladesh
3. SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC) Thimphu Bhutan
4. SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Thimphu Bhutan
5. SAARC Documentation Centre (SDC) New Delhi India
6. SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) Gandhinagar India
7. SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC) Malé Maldives
8. SAARC Information Centre (SIC) Kathmandu Nepal
9. SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) Kathmandu Nepal
10. SAARC Human Resources Development Centre (SHRDC) Islamabad Pakistan
11. SAARC Energy Centre (SEC) Islamabad Pakistan
12. SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) Colombo Sri Lanka

8. Apex and Recognized Bodies
SAARC has six Apex Bodies, they are-
•SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI),
•South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in
Law(SAARCLAW),
•South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA),
•South Asia Foundation (SAF),
•South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children
(SAIEVAC),
•Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL)
•Amjad Hussain B. Sial is the current Secretary General of
SAARC.
SAARC also has about 17 recognized bodies.

9. Regional Conventions
◦ SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism
◦ SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Subs
◦ SAARC Convention on Regional Agreements for the Promotion
of Child Welfare in South Asia
◦ SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in
Women and Children for Prostitution
◦ Additional Protocol to the SAARC Regional Convention on
Suppression of Terrorism
◦ SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matter
◦ SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment

10. Regional Agreements
 Agreement on Establishing the SAARC Food Security Reserve
 Agreement on SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA)
 Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
 SAARC Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in
Customs Matters
 SAARC Limited Multilateral Agreement on Avoidance of Double
Taxation
 and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters
 Agreement on Establishing the SAARC Food Bank
 Protocol of Accession of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to
Agreement
 on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
 SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS)
 SAARC Agreement on Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of
Conformity Assessment
 Agreement on Establishing the SAARC Seed Bank
 SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters
 SAARC Agreement on Implementation of Regional Standards

11. Afghanistan
President Ashraf Ghani
Bhutan
Prime Minister Lotay Tshering
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Maldives
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Nepal
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli
Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Sri Lanka
President Maithripala Sirisena
Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan
Current leaders of SAARC

12. Thanks