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Pre-SAARC Summit Dialogue 2016 Pre-SAARC Summit Dialogue 2016 BMICH, Committee Room E, Colombo, 3rd August 2016, 3 pm – 7 pm In the run up to the 19th SAARC Summit which will be held later this year in Islamabad, Pakistan, Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), will be organizing a pre-SAARC Summit dialogue, which will bring together SAARC High Commissioners in Colombo; representatives of SAARC observer states; State officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka; intellectuals; academics and media personnel. As one of the leading institutes that initiates, coordinates and supports research, dialogues and learning on South Asian strategic and security issues, RCSS has recognized the importance of organizing a discussion of this nature, prior to the upcoming SAARC Summit. In a region that shares common civilizational roots, all South Asian countries have both recognized and acknowledged regional cooperation, as well as common action as essential ingredients in accomplishing their development goals. However, despite the establishment South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985 and efforts made to enhance regional cooperation and integration, as a region South Asia still remains the least integrated. For example, despite the implementation of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) in 2002, intra-regional trade in South Asia remains as low as 5% of total trade compared to 25% ASEAN. Furthermore, compared with other regions, South Asia is one of the regions with the most number of unresolved border and maritime issues. Given that the South Asian nations encounter more or less the same political, economic and social issues, regional cooperation becomes all the more vital, for all the countries in the region, in the context of solving these issues. Moreover, through better understanding and cooperation among the states, South Asia will be better off in developing a common strategy in solving these common challenges. Thus, this kind of discussion will be a great opportunity for all participants, from across South Asia and beyond, to better understand each other and share their thoughts, given the region’s diverse opinions. During the 18th SAARC Summit organized in 2014, a number of themes were brought into discussion aimed at furthering regional cooperation. Therefore, this half day discussion is envisioned as a starting platform for policymakers, academicians, civil society members and the media to evaluate the progress SAARC has able to make since its last meeting in Nepal, to understand the main issues and challenges SAARC encounters in the context of attaining the objectives of SAARC and identify the main paths and strategies to enhance regional cooperation. Avenues such as regional cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, finance, energy, security and infrastructure; possibilities of strengthening and expanding the SAARC Development Bank; exploring the possibilities of setting up a regional strategy for the realization of sustainable development goals, and combating terrorism and transnational crimes will all be taken up. The discussion will be divided into two broad themes, ‘Development, Trade and Economic Growth in South Asia’ and ‘Terrorism, Security, and Politics in South Asia’. In addition to the remarks of the High Commissioners, it is expected that regional experts and scholars will be able to provide input into the directing South Asia’s agenda over the next few years. It is then anticipated that the proceedings and comments will be amalgamated into a report, which can be shared with the respective South Asian Foreign Ministries thereafter, to add to the debate around South Asia and provide an additional guiding voice to the upcoming 19th SAARC Summit. .
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