Md. Abdur Rahman
Secretary General
SAARC Journalists Forum (Central Committee)
Kathmandu, Nepal.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional alliance of South Asian states Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Increasing inter-regional cooperation It is very urgent at this moment to reorganize or speed up the South Asian Regional Cooperation Organization (SAARC), which was formed for the economic and social development of the countries in the region.
In the late 70s, the South Asian nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed to create a trade bloc and provide a platform for the people of the region. It should be noted that the former president of Bangladesh, Shahid Ziaur Rahman, was the dreamer of the establishment of SAARC.
In 1979, the then president of Bangladesh, Shahid Ziaur Rahman, took the initiative to form a regional cooperation organization in the South Asian region. In May 1980, he presented a formal proposal of Bangladesh to the governments and heads of state of 7 South Asian countries.
The heads of state and government of seven South Asian countries responded to this proposal after overcoming initial hesitation. At the First Conference of Foreign Secretaries of South Asian States held in Colombo from 21 to 23 April 1981, some necessary steps were taken to form the desired organization. Then in August 1983, the foreign ministers of the seven countries of the region met in Delhi for their first formal meeting.
In this meeting, the cabinet adopted a program called Integrated Program of Action (IPA). Under this programme, nine areas have been identified for carrying out various tasks as a means of cooperation among the SAARC countries. Then on 7-8 December 1985, the official organizational structure of SAARC (SAARC- South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) or South Asian Regional Cooperation Organization was approved and its journey began.
Revival of the stagnant SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) regional alliance is essential for the development and dynamism of South Asia. Despite South Asia being one of the most populous and economically promising regions in the world, SAARC's ineffectiveness and political conflicts are hampering the region's prospects.
Now is the time to reactivate this alliance so that South Asian countries can work together in mutual trade, communication, education, health, technology and other important areas. Through this, it will be possible to make an important contribution not only to regional stability, but also to the global economy.
Recently Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Prof. Dr. Yunus has called for SAARC's restructuring or dynamism.
The head of the Interim Government of Bangladesh and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said that the spirit of the South Asian Regional Cooperation Organization (SAARC) needs to be revived. Muhammad Yunus. He said in a press release, this alliance of eight nations can solve many regional problems. Although SAARC was established with a noble purpose, it is now limited to paper and is not functioning now.
Despite South Asia's diverse culture, large population and growing economic potential, SAARC has not effectively achieved its goals.
Reasons for SAARC stagnation:
Political conflict:
The long-term conflict between India and Pakistan, in particular, has hampered SAARC operations the most. Complete development of SAARC is not possible without solving the problem between these two countries. Internal Challenges: Every country in South Asia faces internal political, social, and economic challenges. Due to this, it was not possible for them to give full attention to the activities of SAARC.
Economic and Trade Barriers:
One of SAARC's main goals is to increase trade, but there are many barriers to cross-border trade and communication between member countries. Trade barriers remain due to the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) not being fully implemented.
Circumstances of Rejuvenation:
Regional Stability and Prosperity: South Asian countries working together will enhance regional prosperity and stability. By eliminating military and political conflicts, member countries can achieve regional security, peace and progress.
Increase in trade and investment:
If trade barriers within SAARC can be removed and free trade opportunities are created among member countries, the regional economy will improve greatly. Besides, it is possible to increase connectivity between countries by improving infrastructure and transportation systems.
Social Development:
Through SAARC, member countries can develop through mutual cooperation in various social sectors including education, health, technology, environment and climate change. A large part of the population of South Asia is still poor, and it is necessary to work together to solve these problems.
Global Introduction:
If SAARC is strengthened, it will be able to represent South Asia more effectively on the international stage. It will help enhance global trade and diplomatic relations among member countries.
Next steps:
Peaceful dialogue between India and Pakistan: To make SAARC dynamic, political issues between India and Pakistan need to be resolved first. Cooperation between these two countries is the key to the progress of SAARC.
Reducing trade barriers:
Member countries should work together to facilitate cross-border trade and implement free trade agreements. Through this it will be possible to increase economic coordination.
Internal Reinforcement:
Member countries should strive to solve their internal social and economic problems so that they can participate fully in regional cooperation.
SAARC must be reactivated to ensure economic development and regional peace in South Asia. In this regard, the political deadlock between the member states should be removed and effective measures should be taken in trade, communication, and other economic and social areas through mutual cooperation. This will make South Asia more dynamic, which will help SAARC achieve its core goals.
Need to revive SAARC: The following steps can be taken to reactivate and reactivate the CIRC:
Breaking the political deadlock: Diplomatic initiatives should be taken to resolve the long-standing issues between India and Pakistan. Implementation of SAARC will be difficult without resolution of these conflicts.
Trade Enhancing Initiatives: SAARC should be developed into an effective trading alliance by removing trade barriers among member countries. Initiatives should be taken to facilitate infrastructure, logistics, and tariffs to expand trade.
Increased Interconnection: Regional trade and cooperation should be enhanced by increasing rail, road and sea connectivity between member countries. Along with this, cooperation in the field of electricity and energy should also be increased.
Technology and Innovation: South Asian member countries need to invest in technological cooperation and innovative projects, which can give a new dimension to the economy of the region.
Cooperation with other regional alliances: SAARC should enhance cooperation with other regional alliances such as BIMSTEC and ASEAN, so that development work can be coordinated. The revival and activation of SAARC is important not only in terms of regional trade and economy, but also in maintaining political stability and security.
Conclusion: The revival of SAARC is important not only from a regional but also from a global perspective. The collective progress of South Asian countries can lead the people of the region to new horizons of development. Now is the time to harness SAARC with renewed vigor to transform South Asia into a united, peaceful and prosperous region.
SAARC journalist forum
Kathmandu-Nepal.
www.sarcjournalistforum.org
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