SAARC Secretary General urges members to 'reinvigorate' cooperation

Kathmandu, Dec 9 (PTI) SAARC Secretary General Golam Sarwar has said the seven-nation association has "journeyed far" as he urged the member states to reflect on the regional grouping's past accomplishments and "forge renewed commitment to reinvigorate the SAARC process".

The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.

December 8 is being observed annually as SAARC Charter Day.

In a message issued on the occasion of the 40th SAARC Charter Day, Sarwar recounted the evolution of SAARC, from its early focus on institutional strengthening and norm-setting in priority areas to the implementation of programmes across diverse sectors aimed at advancing the collective aspirations of the people of South Asia.

SAARC has “journeyed far”, he said, hailing the Charter Day as an "important occasion to reflect on the past accomplishments and to forge renewed commitment to reinvigorate the SAARC process".

The SAARC has not been very effective since 2016, as its biennial summits have not taken place since the last one in Kathmandu in 2014.

Nepal has been making efforts to activate the regional grouping.

The 2016 SAARC Summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to “prevailing circumstances”.

The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the SAARC Charter Day, Sarwar hosted a reception in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Nepal's Vice President Ram Sahaya Yadav attended as the chief guest. Diplomats, leaders of political parties, government officials, business representatives and journalists were also present at the event. PTI SBP SCY SCY