CONCEPT – South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

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 CONCEPT – South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

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• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a manifestation of the determination of the peoples of South Asia to work together towards finding solutions to their common problems in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding and to create an order based on mutual respect, equity and shared benefits. It originally comprised Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan was added from the 14th SAARC Summit in 2007. The main goal of SAARC is to accelerate the process of economic and social development in member states, through joint action in the agreed areas of cooperation.
• Evolution : The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first mooted in November 1980. After consultations, the foreign secretaries of the seven countries met for the first time in Colombo, in April 1981. This was followed, a few months later, by the meeting of the Committee of the Whole, which identified five broad areas for regional cooperation. The Foreign Ministers, at their first meeting in New Delhi, in August 1983, formally launched the Integrated Programme of Action (IPA) through the adoption of the Declaration on South Asian Regional Cooperation (SARC). At the first summit held in Dhaka on 7-8 December 1985, the Charter establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was adopted.
• Objectives : The objectives, principles and general provisions, as mentioned in the SAARC Charter, are as follows:
1. To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
2. 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 realise their full potentials;
3. To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
4. To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;
5. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields;
6. To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
7. To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and
8. To cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes.
• Principles

1. Cooperation within the framework of the Association is based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and mutual benefit.
2. Such cooperation is to complement and not to substitute bilateral or multilateral cooperation.
3. Such cooperation should be consistent with bilateral and multilateral obligations of the member states.
4. Decisions at all levels in SAARC are taken on the basis of unanimity.
5. Bilateral and contentious issues are excluded from its deliberations.

• SAARC secretariat: The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987 and was inaugurated by Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah of Nepal.
• It is headed by the Secretary General appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member Countries in an alphabetical order for a three-year term. The Secretary General is assisted by the Professional and the General Service Staff. An appropriate number of functional units called Divisions are assigned to Directors on deputation from Member States. The Secretariat coordinates and monitors implementation of activities, prepares for and services meetings, and serves as a channel of communication between the Association and its Member States as well as other regional organisations. The Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Secretariat was signed by the Foreign Ministers of member countries on 17 November 1986 at Bangalore, India. It contains various clauses concerning the role, structure and administration of the SAARC Secretariat as well as the powers of the Secretary-General.
• Achievements of SAARC
• Trade : Despite a difficult and tricky environment SAARC has been successful  in effecting regional economic and development cooperation projects, that too against severe political constraints. The ongoing implementation of various flagship regional cooperation projects like the establishment of the SAFTA Treaty, South Asian University, SAARC Development Fund, SAARC Food Bank and creation of the South Asia Forum are but pointers to SAARC's emergence as a dynamic economic grouping with potential.
• For the transition from SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) to a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Treaty to be successful, there is a need for an intensification of the regional economic integration initiatives. 
• Integrated Programme of Action (IPA) : The SAARC Integrated Programme of Action (SIPA) has been launched for the nine agreed areas of  agriculture, rural development, science and technology, health, transport, sports, arts, culture and population activities. The activities of the SIPA are reviewed every three years by an independent multi-disciplinary group apoointted by the Secretary General in consultation with the member states.
• Economic achievements :  The major achievements of SAARC in the economic field are as follows: 
1. The SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed on 11th April, 1993 and came into force on 7th December, 1995.The Agreement reflected the desire of the Member States to promote and sustain mutual trade and economic cooperation within the SAARC region through the exchange of concessions.Four rounds of trade negotiations have been concluded under SAPTA covering over 5000 commodities. Each Round contributed to an incremental trend in the product coverage and the deepening of tariff concessions over previous Rounds.
2. SAARC system of finance promotes co-operation on financial matters. It regulate meetings of governors of Central bank of member state to discuss on the issue of financial management and development. SAARC promoted agricultural development by the development and application of Agrinet project promoting agricultural knowledge in South Asia.
• Literacy and education :  In the field of education, the member states co-operate through forum of (SACODIL) i.e. SAARC Consortium on Open and Distance Learning and head of Universities Grants Commissions. A common university for education is going to be established in Delhi.
• Terrorism and drug trafficking : A Convention on terrorism was signed in November, 1987 and came into force on 27th August, 1988.SAARC convention on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was signed on November, 1990 and came into force on 15 September, 1993.Conference on co-operation on police matters are held regularly.  SAARC terrorist offences monitoring desk (STOMD) and SAARC drug offences monitoring desk (SDOMD) are stationed in Colombo which maintains its regular flow of information.
• Problems of SAARC
1. SAARC being a regional organization prone to certain criticism. The ex Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the 25 years journey of SAARC, "a glass half empty". The Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi. Y. Thinley commented that SAARC losing focus from its core ideas and issues such as poverty, food security etc. The various criticism of SAARC are:
2. Big brother syndrome developed by the members towards India is a constant cause for concern. Some member states have the feeling that India tries to dominate the function and activities of SAARC. This attitude of some members of SAARC results in decreasing co-operation which could have provided more opportunity if this ill feeling have not developed within members towards India.
3. Political instability due to different political system: The member states of SAARC have a large variety of different political system. Pakistan promotes military rule, India promotes democracy, Nepal have federal republic, Myanmar hase military dictatorship, Bangladesh like India has a parliamentary democracy and Afghanistan has recently become an Islamis republic with a Parliament. This diversitye regarding political systems  creates political instability.
4. Regional and cultural differences exists: South Asian countries constitute a large variety regional and cultural differences which hinders the path of co-operation due to difference in priority of the interest and concluding on some common ground bcomes a big problem. 
5. Lack of financial resources and technology: South Asian countries are developing countries and they lack financial resources and advanced technologies as compared to the European Union and other regional organization. Many plans cannot attain its success because of the lack of financial fund.
6. Internal interference by external actors: It has been marked that from time to time SAARC faces the problem of involvement of external actors and they, to a certain extent effect the decision and working of SAARC. 
7. Internal problem of member states: Many of the SAARC memebr nations are developing countries and all of them have various internal problems constituting social economic and developmental and growth issues. In this context the contribution of member countries towards regional and global development lags behind. 
8. Bilateral disputes and differences: SAARC member nationss are engaged in various bilateral disputes and differences.The conflicts between India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh are major hindrances for the development of  SAARC as a regional organization. The border and river disputes between these member countries makes the SAARC environment hostile.
9. Competitive economies of member states: There is a huge competitiveness regarding the economies of member states for example tea trade between India and Srilanka, jute in case of Bangladesh and India and finally the outward linkages of economies of member states. This competitiveness at one part has its effect on the common platform of SAARC and restricts the co-operation to avail much benefit for all.

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