• SAARC
  
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
   
• ORIGIN
  
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• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South Asian nations, founded in December, 1985 and dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasizing collective self-reliance.
  
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• Its seven founding members are Bangladesh, Bhutan,India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
   
•  Afghanistan joined the organization in 2007.
   
• Meetings of heads of state are usually scheduled annually; meetings of foreign secretaries, twice annually.
   
• Headquarter in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  
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• SAARC - OBJECTIVES
  
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• to promote the welfare of the people 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 potential;
  
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• to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
  
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• to contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;
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• to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields;
  
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• to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
  
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• to strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interest; and
  
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• to cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes
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• STRUCTURE -
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• THE SECRETARIAT
  
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• The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1986 and was inaugurated by Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah of Nepal.
  
• It is headed by a Secretary General appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member Countries in alphabetical order for a three-year term.
  
•  The Secretariat coordinates and monitors implementation of activities, prepares for meetings, and serves as a channel of communication between the Association and its Member States as well as other regional organizations.
  
• The SAARC Secretariat and Member States observe 8 December as the SAARC Charter Day. 
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• VARIOUS SAARC SUMMITS
  
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• FIRST SUMMIT - 1985
  
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• The first summit was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  
• Established study groups on the problems of terrorism and drug trafficking, and increasing the participation of women at the regional level.
  
• Adopted an official SAARC emblem. 
   
• Second summit - 1986
  
• The second summit was held in Bangalore on 16–17 November 1986.
  
•  It was announced that the secretariat would be established on 16 January 1987, with Abul Ahsan as the first Secretary-General.
  
•  The summit also agreed to establish a SAARC Documentation Centre, a voluntary programme and to promote the creation of SAARC scholarships, fellowships and chairs.
  
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• Third summit - 1987
  
  
• The third summit was held in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  
•  The foreign ministers of the member states signed the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and an agreement to establish a South Asian Food Reserve.
   
   
• Fourth summit - 1988
  
• The fourth summit was held in Islamabad, Pakistan.
  
  Declared 1989 to be the "SAARC Year Against Drug Abuse",
  
• Declared 1990 to be the "SAARC Year of the Girl Child", set up a technical committee on education,
  
• Launched a regional plan called "SAARC-2000-A Basic Needs Perspective" in areas such as food, shelter, education and environmental protection.
  
• It was also agreed to hold regular "South Asian Festivals", the first being hosted by India.
  
  
  
• Fifth summit - 1990
  
• The fifth summit was held in Malé, Maldives
  
• Declared various SAARC years (1991-2000 AD) to be the "SAARC Decade of the Girl Child",
  
• 1991 to be the "SAARC Year of Shelter",
  
• 1992 to be the "SAARC Year of the Environment"
  
• 1993 to be the "SAARC Year of Disabled Persons",
  
• Decided to set up the SAARC Tuberculosis Centre in Nepal and the SAARC Documentation Centre in India.
  
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• Fourteenth summit 2007
  
  
• The fourteenth summit of SAARC was held in New Delhi, on 3rd-4 April 2007.
  
   
• The fifteenth summit of SAARC was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 1–3 August 2008. At the summit, one of the major points of discussion was the global food crisis.
  
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• Sixteenth summit - 2010
  
  
• The sixteenth summit was held in Thimpu, Bhutan . Bhutan hosted the SAARC summit for the first time. This marked the silver jubilee celebration of SAARC that was formed in Bangladesh in December 1985.
  
• Climate change was the central issue of the summit with summit's theme "Towards a Green and Happy South Asia".
  
• SAARC leaders signed a SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment to tackle the problem of climate change
   
• The SAARC nations also pledged to plant 10 million trees over the next 5 years.
   
• India proposed setting up of climate innovation centres in South Asia to develop sustainable energy technologies.
   
• India announced "India endowment for climate change" in South Asia to help member states meet their urgent adaption and capacity building needs posed by the climate change.
  
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• SAARC – TRADE AGREEMENT
  
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• The Agreement on SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement
   
• (SAPTA) was signed in 1993 and four rounds of trade negotiations have been concluded.
  
  
   
• With the objective of moving towards a South
  
  Asian Economic Union (SAEU), the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) was signed during the Twelfth Summit in Islamabad in January 2004, and became effective in 2006.
  
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• SAARC - ITS  RELEVANCE
  
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• However, it is true that most of the programmes and
  
  achievements of SAARC exist on paper. The much talked about SAARC
  Food Security Reserve could not be utilized to meet the needs of
   Bangladesh during its worst natural disaster in 1991.
   
• It is also true that most SAARC activities are confined to the holding of seminars, workshops, and short training programmes. 
   
• SAARC suffers from an acute resource crunch. Unless the organization is
  
  successful in mobilizing funds and technical know-how from outside
  sources, most of its projects cannot be implemented and, thus, its relevance will remain limited.
   
• Though the formation of SAARC is a landmark step taken by the leaders of the region, they are unable to cultivate sustainable peace and promote mutual economic well-being.
  
  
  
• The political tensions and conflicts surrounding the countries of a South Asia pose a question of uncertainty and challenge to the formation of South Asian Union at par with European Union that would allow free movement of people; common currency and common foreign and economic policies
   
• In order to achieve the objectives the SAARC
  
  would have to evolve into a full-fledged 'regional entity' that can cultivate peace in the region. The realization of durable peace and the future economic integration of SAARC depends upon the ability and interest of South Asian leaders to resolve domestic as well as long-standing differences through peaceful deliberations.
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