The South Asian leaders on Friday concluded their 17th summit with a pledge to intensify efforts to fully and effectively implement the agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area.
They asked the SAFTA Ministerial Council comprising finance ministers of the group to work for substantial reduction in sensitive lists as well as early resolution of non-tariff barriers and expediting the process of harmonising standards and customs procedures.
They adopted a 20-point ‘Addu Declaration’ with a pledge to strengthen the SAARC mechanisms, including the secretariat and regional centres ‘through an inter-governmental process’ to provide better service to the people in the region.
The newly elected SAARC chair and Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed, presided over the concluding session of the 17th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation at the Equatorial Convention Centre in Addu city in the Indian Ocean state of Maldives in presence of six other South Asian leaders – Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, Nepal’s prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, Pakistan prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani and Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai, was not present at the concluding session of the summit, as he left Addu before its commencement on Friday afternoon due to his urgent engagement at home, Nasheed informed the summit.
The foreign ministers of the group signed the four agreements in presence of the top regional leaders.
The summit asked the SAFTA Ministerial Council to intensify efforts to fully and effectively implement the agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area.
It also asked council to work for substantial reduction in sensitive lists as well as early resolution of non-tariff barriers and expediting the process of harmonising
standards and customs procedures.
The regional leaders also directed the finance ministers to chart a proposal that would allow greater flow of financial, capital and intra-regional long-term investments.
On the second day of the two-day summit, SAARC foreign ministers signed four regional agreements seeking implementation of regional standards, multilateral arrangement on recognition of conformity assessment, rapid response to natural disasters and establishment of a SAARC seed bank.
The regional leaders finalised the 20-point declaration at the summit retreat at the exotic Shangri-La resort on the Indian Ocean island of Villingili.
The summit felt the necessity of signing an agreement on mutual cooperation on regional railway services and convening an expert group meeting on the Motor vehicles Agreement before the next session of the council of finance ministers.
They also asked for an early demonstration run of a container train through Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
The regional leaders also called for finalisation of the work on the elaboration of the SAARC Regional Convention on Preventing and Combating trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution for its adoption by the next summit.
They asked the South Asia forum to continue work towards development of the ‘vision statement’ for South Asia and its future development, including elements of a South Asian Economic Union, as may emerge from its subsequent meetings.
They agreed to undertake a comprehensive review before the next session of the SAARC Council of Ministers comprising foreign ministers of the region in 2012 on all matters relating to engagement of SAARC observers in the process of the regional grouping.
The leaders appreciated formulation of an actionable framework to address the common challenge of sanitation and access to safe drinking water in the region.
They also agreed to expedite the work on mutual recognition of academic and professional degrees and harmonisation of academic standards, and establishment of long-term linkages among the universities, research institutions and think-tanks in the region.
They agreed to settle the operational issues related to the SAARC Food Bank by the next session of the council of ministers with a view to ensuring its effective functioning.
The regional leaders also agreed to make concrete and coordinated efforts to root out terrorism, taking into account its links with illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms.
They called for an early conclusion of the proposed UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and completion of the ratification of the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.
They also gave directions for conclusion of the Inter-governmental Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation.
The leaders asked for conducting a study on the Regional Power Exchange Concept and SAARC Market for Electricity.
They agreed to make available an appropriate portion of national income for investment in renewable energy in respective countries.
They stressed the need for timely implementation of the Thimphu Statement on Climate Change.
The regional leaders directed the SAARC secretary general to conduct a feasibility study on the Indian Ocean Cargo and Passenger Ferry Service.
They stressed the need for convening an inter-governmental expert group meeting for developing a regional mechanism to ensure empowerment of women, gender equality in the region, with focus on national legislations, including timely realisation of the MDGs.
The leaders also agreed to initiate work towards combating maritime piracy in the region.
They decided to convene a regional conference on media to consider deepening collaboration among the media and to mark a SAARC Media Day.
The SAARC leaders decided that the 18th summit of the regional grouping would take place in Nepal in the first half of 2013.
The 16th summit was held in Thimphu, the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.
Source: New Age
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