KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

MR.SIRAJUDEEN KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series

SAARC In this session we will discuss about SAARC KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series Overview

• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was founded in 1985 at Dhaka with seven South Asian countries — , , , , , and .

• The membership grew to eight when joined in 2007.

KAS Mentor Online Video Lecture Series • It is a regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in . • The first SAARC summit was held at Dhaka on 7–8 December 1985. • Secretariat : Kathmandu. • 9 Observers: , , USA, , , , , , and .

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • The organization aims to achieve peace, freedom, social justice, and economic prosperity by promoting a shared understanding, good neighborly relations, and meaningful cooperation.

• SAARC , in geographical terms larger than the European Union (EU) and ASEAN.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • In terms of population it accounts for 22.5 per cent of the world populace. • It maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations. • Ahmed Hussain B Sial of Pakistan is the current secretary general of the organization. • The last SAARC summit was held at Kathmandu In 2014.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series Major Initiatives

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series South Asia Free Trade Area(SAFTA)

• The SAFTA Agreement was signed on 6 January 2004 during 12th SAARC Summit held in Islamabad, Pakistan. • The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2006, and the Trade Liberalization Program commenced from 1 July 2006.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • It aimed to reduce customs duties of all traded goods to zero by the year 2016. • SAFTA was envisaged to gradually move towards the South Asian Economic Union. • But the current intra-regional trade(1% SAARC’s GDP) and investment relation are not encouraging and it may be difficult to achieve this target.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme

• Launched in 1992 as a result of consultations held during the 4th SAARC Summit (Islamabad,1988), • Asper the scheme certain categories of dignitaries will be entitled to a Special Travel document. The document would exempt them from visas within the region. • Currently, the list included 24 categories dignitaries.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series SAARC Energy Agreement

• The regional cooperation agreement on electricity trade was signed during the SAARC summit at Kathmandu(2014). • Under this agreement, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would be able to import electricity from hydropower-rich Nepal and Bhutan.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series Awards • SAARC Award : The award is set up to encourage individuals and organizations based in South Asia who undertake programs and activities within the region in the fields of peace, development, poverty alleviation, environmental protection, and regional cooperation, women protection etc..

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • SAARC Literary Award : is an annual award conferred by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature(FOSWAL) since 2001. • Nepali poet, lyricist, and translator is the only poet/writer to get this award twice.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • SAARC Youth Award : is awarded to outstanding individuals from the SAARC region. • The award is based on specific themes which apply to each year

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series SAARC Motor vehicles Agreement

• It was proposed by India during 18th SAARC summit held at Kathmandu,2014. But it couldn’t progress due to resistance from Pakistan. • This compelled Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) to sign the BBIN motor vehicle agreement.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series

• In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India’s decision to develop (and gift) a satellite to benefit all SAARC member countries in different fields like weather data exchanges, disaster management, telecommunication and tele-medicine.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • It also known as GSAT-9, is a geostationary communications and meteorology satellite operated by the ISRO. • The satellite was launched on the 5th May, 2017. • Pakistan did not join the project, stating that it was working on its own satellite.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series Criticism • Promoting intra-regional connectivity through trade is one of the primary focus areas of SAARC However, even after three decades of existence, intra-SAARC trade stands at a meagre five percent of South Asia’s total trade. • Till this date SAARC failed to achieve any tangible economic or political benefits, with analysts terming its performance as a case of ‘retarded regionalism’.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • Political tensions (especially between India and Pakistan) and other regional issues adversely affected the successful working of SAARC as a regional organization. • SAARC’s emphasis on the principle of unanimity for decision making and exclusion of contentious bilateral issues from deliberations makes the organization fragile and vulnerable.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series • In the last 33 years, SAARC has held only 18 Summits, and many have been postponed or cancelled due to various issues. Recent example in this regard is the 19th summit which was scheduled to be held at Islamabad and cancelled due to protest from India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

KAS Mentor Video Lecture Series