SAARC COUNTRIES

SAARC

INTRODUCTION
The South Asian Association for Regional

Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South Asian nations, which was established on 8 December 1985.
It was established when the government of all 7

saarc countries formally adopted its charter providing for the promotion of economic and social progress, cultural development within the South Asia region and also for friendship and cooperation with other developing countries.
It is dedicated to economic, technological, social, and

cultural development emphasizing collective selfreliance.

 Its seven founding members are Sri

Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh Afghanistan joined the organization in 2007.
Meetings of heads of state are usually scheduled

annually; meetings of foreign secretaries, twice annually.

Its headquartered is in Kathmandu ,Nepal.

Aim of SAARC.
1. It promotes quality of life and economic growth

in the region.
2. It strengthens collective self-reliance. 3. It encourages active collaboration in

economic, technical and scientific fields.

4. It aims at increasing people to people contact

and sharing of information among the SAARC members.

Objectives of the association

to promote the welfare of the peoples 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 potentials; to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of SOUTH ASIA; to contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;

Continued
to strengthen cooperation among themselves in

international forums on matters of common interests; and to cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields; to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;

SAARC Secretariat..
The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu,

Nepal. It coordinates and monitors implementation of activities, prepares for and services meetings, and serves as a channel of communication between the Association and its Member States as well as other regional organisations.

Continued..
The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary

General, who is appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member States in alphabetical order for a three year term. H.E. Mr. Ahmed Saleem from Maldives is the current Secretary General. .

The Secretary General is assisted by eight Directors on deputation from the Member States.

The SAARC Secretariat and Member States

observe 8 December as the SAARC Charter Day.

secretary- general
Mr. Ahmed Saleem of the

Republic of Maldives assumed charge as the Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) with effect from 12 March 2012. H. E. Mr. Saleem is the eleventh Secretary-General of SAARC.

DIRECTORS OF THE SAARC SECRETARIAT.

Mr.Ahmar Ismail
Director Pakistan

Tareque Muhammad Director, Bangladesh.

CONTINUED..

Amrit Lugun
Director, India

Mohammad Ibrahim Ghafoori. Director,

CONTINUED..

Mr. Singye Dorjee.

Director, Bhutan

Mr. Ibrahim Zuhuree.

Director, Maldives.

CONTINUED..

Dhan Bahadur Oli.

Director, Nepal

Prasanna Gamage.
Director, Sri Lanka

Current members of SAARC

Afghanistan

Bangladesh
Bhutan India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka

Secretaries-General of SAARC.
Abul Ahsan (bng)January 16, 1987 to 15 October 1989 Kishore Kant Bhargava(Ind)October 17, 1989 to

December 31, 1991 Ibrahim Hussain Zaki(mal)January 1, 1992 to December 31, 1993 Yadav Kant Silwal(Npl)January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1995 Naeem U. Hasan(pk)January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998 Nihal Rodrigo(srl)January 1, 1999 to January 10, 2002 Q.A.M.A. Rahim(bng)January 11, 2002 to February 28, 2005 Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji(bht)March 1, 2005 to February 29, 2008 Sheel Kant Sharma(ind)March 1, 2008 to February 28,

IPA (INTEGRATED PROGRAMME OF ACTION)

The Declaration on South Asian Regional

Cooperation was adopted by the Foreign Ministers in 1983 in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Ministers also launched the Integrated Programme of Action (IPA) in nine agreed areas namely: Agriculture.
Rural Development Telecommunication Meteorology Health and Population Activities Transport, Postal Services Science and Technology

Sports, Arts and Culture