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Overview of SAARC Cooperation and Goals

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and political organization consisting of 8 member countries in South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. Established in 1985, SAARC aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress, cultural development and improve quality of life in the region. Its objectives include promoting mutual trust and cooperation across various economic, social and technological fields. Key areas of cooperation include agriculture, rural development, biotechnology, trade, energy, environment and more. The South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was also established to promote intra-regional trade.

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Sameena Sheeraz
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11 views7 pages

Overview of SAARC Cooperation and Goals

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and political organization consisting of 8 member countries in South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. Established in 1985, SAARC aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress, cultural development and improve quality of life in the region. Its objectives include promoting mutual trust and cooperation across various economic, social and technological fields. Key areas of cooperation include agriculture, rural development, biotechnology, trade, energy, environment and more. The South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was also established to promote intra-regional trade.

Uploaded by

Sameena Sheeraz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SAARC

SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION


FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION

- Sameena
An economic and political organization of eight
countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka,
Afghanistan

Members 
Observers
Established: 8 December, 1985
Objectives
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

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

to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural,
technical and scientific fields

to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries

to strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common


interest

to cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.
Agriculture & Rural
Biotech
Comm, Info & Media
Chairman - Mahinda Rajapaksa
Economic
Secretary General - Sheel Kant Sharma Energy
Environment
Funding
SAARC Countries’ Human Resources
Legal
Areas of Co-Operation People-to-People
Poverty
Science & Technology
Social
Tourism
Transport
SAPTA - SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement

The basic principles underlying SAPTA are:


• Overall reciprocity and mutuality of advantages so as to benefit equitably all
Contracting States, taking into account their respective level of economic and
industrial development, the pattern of their external trade, and trade and tariff
policies and systems

• Negotiation of tariff reform step by step, improved and extended in successive


stages through periodic reviews

• Recognition of the special needs of the Least Developed Contracting States and
agreement on concrete preferential measures in their favour

• Inclusion of all products, manufactures and commodities in their raw, semi-


processed and processed forms
So far, four rounds of trade negotiations have been concluded under SAPTA covering over 5000 commodities.

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