18th SAARC summit
18th SAARC summit
Question - Write a note on 18th SAARC summit.
18th SAARC summit
Held in Kathmandu in 2014
Theme : Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity, focused on enhancing connectivity between the member states for easier transit-transport across the region.
Declarations:
1.Regional cooperation
2. South Asian Economic Union (SAEU)
Commitment to achieve South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a phased and planned manner through a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and a Common Economic and Monetary Union.
3. SAFTA and Trade Facilitation
Directed SAFTA Ministerial Council and SAFTA Committee of Experts to accelerate free trade in goods and services in the region putting into operation simplified and transparent rules of origin
4. SAARC Development Fund
To expand the Governing Board of SDF by including a representative of the National Focal Point of the Member States.
5. Connectivity
significant progress towards finalization of the SAARC Motor Vehicles Agreement and SAARC Regional Railways Agreement
6. Energy
Co- operation in the area of power generation, transmission and power trade, including hydropower, natural gas, solar, wind and bio-fuel and signing of the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity).
7. Poverty Alleviation
Co-operation in achieving inclusive, broad-based and sustainable economic growth and development, and called for sharing of experiences, expertise and best practices in this sector.
8. Post-2015 Development Goals
Present opportunities to compliment national and regional efforts on sustainable development.
9. Agriculture and Food Security
To increase investment, promote research and development, facilitate technical cooperation and apply innovative, appropriate and reliable technologies in the agriculture sector for enhancing productivity to ensure food and nutritional security in the region. They also underscored the importance of promoting sustainable agriculture.
Urged for early ratification of the SAARC Seed Bank Agreement and directed to constitute the Seed Bank Board, pending completion of ratification by all Member States
To finalize the establishment of Regional Vaccine Bank and Regional Livestock Gene Bank.
10. Environment
Implementation of SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters, SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment and Thimphu Statement on Climate Change
Established the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Center.
11. Blue Economy
They recognized the manifold contributions of ocean-based Blue Economy in the SAARC Region and the need for collaboration and partnership in this area.
12. Health
The Leaders recognized the importance of achieving universal health coverage (UHC), improving health regulatory systems, preparedness for emerging and reemerging diseases, and the challenges posed by anti-microbial resistance and non-communicable diseases.
They endorsed the Malé Resolution on Regional Health Issues adopted at the Fourth Meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers.
Aim to end AIDS epidemic in the region by 2030.
Also directed to complete all necessary processes for upgrading the SAARC TB Reference Laboratory at SAARC TB and HIV/AIDS Center (STAC), Kathmandu to Supra-national Reference Laboratory with necessary funding from SDF.
13. Education
Resolve to eliminating illiteracy from the region in line with the global goal of education for all and ensuring quality education in all institutions by reforming curricula, teaching methods and evaluation systems adequately supported by physical, technical and other facilities.
To promote regional cooperation in the field of vocational education and training.
14. Youth
Welcomed declaration of July 15 as the World Youth Skills Day at the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly and agreed to commemorate
15. Women and Children
To take effective measures for preventing the trafficking in women and children and their exploitation.
16. Social Protection
Acknowledged the special needs of the elderly, women, children, differently-abled persons, unemployed persons, and persons working at hazardous sites
17. Migration
Agreed to collaborate and cooperate on safe, orderly and responsible management of labour migration from South Asia to ensure safety, security and wellbeing of their migrant workers in the destination countries outside the region.
18.Science and Technology
The offer of India to develop and launch a satellite dedicated to SAARC Countries.
19. Telecommunication
Called for lower telephone tariff rates for facilitating greater contacts among the people of the region and called for rationalization of the tariff structures.
20. Tourism
Called for effective implementation of SAARC Action Plan on Tourism (2006) particularly through initiating appropriate public-private collaboration.
21. Culture
Create a SAARC heritage list together with the operational guidelines.
Declared the year 2016 as the SAARC Year of Cultural Heritage and
Agreed to develop a cultural trail linking major Buddhist historical sites in the region.
22. Combating Terrorism and trans-national Crimes
To ensure full and effective implementation of the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and its Additional Protocol, including through enacting necessary legislations at the national level to root out terrorism.
Also agreed to establish a cyber crime monitoring desk.
23. Strengthening SAARC processes
Agreed to hold henceforth the meetings of the SAARC Summit every two years or earlier, if necessary, the Council of Ministers once a year, the Standing Committee at least once a year, and the Programming Committee at least twice a year. They also agreed to make the Programming Committee a Charter body of SAARC.
