The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has proposed Nepal to export 1,000MW of electricity to Bangladesh from the Himalayan state’s Sapt-Kosi High Dam, 110 km off Thakurgaon of Bangladesh.
She gave the proposal in a meeting with the Nepalese prime minister, Baburam Bhattarai, at Shangri-La Resort in Addu City on the sidelines of the 17th SAARC Summit that ended Friday.
‘During the meeting, Hasina called for a broader agreement with Nepal for cooperation in the areas of hydropower generation and trade and proposed
for joint venture projects or equity sharing or direct purchase agreement with Nepal to obtain 10,000-MW electricity in the next five to seven years,’ her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told the news agency.
The two prime ministers agreed to take up projects to harness hydropower and water resources at sub-regional and regional levels.
Hasina said Bangladesh, India and Nepal might jointly construct water reservoirs in Nepal for augmentation of dry season flows of the Ganges.
All three countries, she said, should implement Sapt-Kosi High Dam with augmentation potential of 68,600 cusecs. ‘Bangladesh would import 3,500MW power from the Sapt-Kosi High Dam project,’ she said.
In this connection, Hasina said Nepalese rivers contribute 71 per cent of Ganges natural dry season flow and 41 per cent of the annual flows of the Ganges at Farakka point.
Laying importance on increasing trade with Nepal, she said Bangladesh had undertaken initiatives to improve infrastructure of land customs stations and land ports for trade with neighbouring countries.
The prime minister said Bangladesh had already signed an addendum to an MoU with India for rail transit to Nepal on Rohanpur-Singabad
route, and about 50,000 tonnes of fertiliser had already been transported to Nepal through this route.
Hasina said the multi-gauge conversion of Birol- Radhikapur sector by 2012 would help two rail linkages for boosting trade between Bangladesh and Nepal as well as third country.
Referring to the signing of the Standard Operating Procedure with India during her visit to India in January 2010, she said it would allow Nepalese cargo vehicles to enter up to 200 meters from zero point at Banglabanda inside Bangladesh.
She said Bangladesh and Nepal could also collaborate in the areas
of promotion of the tourism, people-to-people contact, and study of the Nepalese students in Bangladesh’s private universities.
Hasina congratulated Baburam Bhattarai on his election as the prime minister of Nepal and expressed hope that the ‘Peace Process’ and drafting of the constitution in Nepal would be successful.
She invited Baburam Bhattarai to visit Bangladesh at his time of convenience.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni, ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin and PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad, among others, were present on the occasion.
Source: New Age
Dhaka’s proposal dropped
The South Asian leaders on Friday ‘dropped’ a proposal mooted by Bangladesh for ‘management of common rivers in the region’ from the declaration of the 17th SAARC Summit in the Maldives.
They took the decision to drop article 10 of the 22-point draft declaration that sought ‘to direct the SAARC environment ministers to consider development of modalities on the management of common rivers in the region.’
The SAARC Council of
Ministers comprising foreign ministers of the regional grouping finalised the draft declaration at Equatorial Convention Centre at Addu on Wednesday.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in her address to the summit on Thursday, called for basin-based management of common rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra, in the region.
The South Asian leaders dropped the article 10 at the request of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh at the summit retreat at Shangri-La on Indian Ocean island of Villingili on Friday morning, diplomatic sources said.
The newly elected SAARC chair and Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed, Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Nepal’s prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, Pakistan prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and SAARC secretary general Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed were also present at the retreat.
The Bangladesh side tried to persuade India on the sidelines of the summit to keep the provision of common river management in the declaration. But India declined the proposal.
The SAARC leaders adopted the Addu Declaration at the concluding session of the summit on Friday.
The regional forum takes decisions on consensus.
They dropped another proposal seeking to elevate the SAARC secretary general to the status of a foreign minister from the next term of the office.
Source: New Age
They took the decision to drop article 10 of the 22-point draft declaration that sought ‘to direct the SAARC environment ministers to consider development of modalities on the management of common rivers in the region.’
The SAARC Council of
Ministers comprising foreign ministers of the regional grouping finalised the draft declaration at Equatorial Convention Centre at Addu on Wednesday.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in her address to the summit on Thursday, called for basin-based management of common rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra, in the region.
The South Asian leaders dropped the article 10 at the request of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh at the summit retreat at Shangri-La on Indian Ocean island of Villingili on Friday morning, diplomatic sources said.
The newly elected SAARC chair and Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed, Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Nepal’s prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, Pakistan prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and SAARC secretary general Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed were also present at the retreat.
The Bangladesh side tried to persuade India on the sidelines of the summit to keep the provision of common river management in the declaration. But India declined the proposal.
The SAARC leaders adopted the Addu Declaration at the concluding session of the summit on Friday.
The regional forum takes decisions on consensus.
They dropped another proposal seeking to elevate the SAARC secretary general to the status of a foreign minister from the next term of the office.
Source: New Age
People’s SAARC for regional connectivity, easing visa
A civil society platform, People’s SAARC, has urged the eight leaders of South Asia to pay more attention to greater regional connectivity and easing visa to promote people to people easy contacts across South Asia, home to 150 crore people.
‘South Asian leaders should work more on enhancing connectivity of the common people by building mutual trust and easing visa regime that ensure free mobility of people across South
Asia,’ read a press release of the Forum circulated
at the Equatorial Convention Centre, venue of the 17th SAARC Summit on Friday.
The Kathmandu-based Forum also said the SAARC process should be more pro-people and committed to eradication of poverty and injustices through
regional development that it must be based on reduced military budget and mutual cooperation in economic and social fronts.
It said the aspiration for superior military power, which prompts scale up defence budget, would divert resources away from development goals.
‘We do underline the need for the SAARC to expand its ambit to cover all areas of political, environmental, economic, social and human rights, peace and justice spheres of the South Asia region,’ said the press release adding the potentials of the region should be harnessed through equitable share of natural resources.
It said the forum wanted an immediate action to protect the rights of migrant workers and their families as well as refugees through ratification of relevant international instruments and regional mechanisms, a demand which goes
with Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recommendation in the SAARC summit that ended Friday.
The forum also demanded establishment of regional human rights commission, climate commission and a monitoring body to oversee democratic governance in the member states under the SAARC Democracy Charter.
It also strongly pleaded for ensuring zero tolerance to violence against women.
People’s SAARC is a focal point and platform for sharing, forging and strengthening solidarity linkages among the like-minded action groups, resources agencies and progressive individuals
to build people’s resistance against the forces of globalisation across the
nations of South Asia, which encompasses eight nations — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Source: New Age
‘South Asian leaders should work more on enhancing connectivity of the common people by building mutual trust and easing visa regime that ensure free mobility of people across South
Asia,’ read a press release of the Forum circulated
at the Equatorial Convention Centre, venue of the 17th SAARC Summit on Friday.
The Kathmandu-based Forum also said the SAARC process should be more pro-people and committed to eradication of poverty and injustices through
regional development that it must be based on reduced military budget and mutual cooperation in economic and social fronts.
It said the aspiration for superior military power, which prompts scale up defence budget, would divert resources away from development goals.
‘We do underline the need for the SAARC to expand its ambit to cover all areas of political, environmental, economic, social and human rights, peace and justice spheres of the South Asia region,’ said the press release adding the potentials of the region should be harnessed through equitable share of natural resources.
It said the forum wanted an immediate action to protect the rights of migrant workers and their families as well as refugees through ratification of relevant international instruments and regional mechanisms, a demand which goes
with Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recommendation in the SAARC summit that ended Friday.
The forum also demanded establishment of regional human rights commission, climate commission and a monitoring body to oversee democratic governance in the member states under the SAARC Democracy Charter.
It also strongly pleaded for ensuring zero tolerance to violence against women.
People’s SAARC is a focal point and platform for sharing, forging and strengthening solidarity linkages among the like-minded action groups, resources agencies and progressive individuals
to build people’s resistance against the forces of globalisation across the
nations of South Asia, which encompasses eight nations — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Source: New Age
Khaleda to meet leaders at grassroots
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, is planning to exchange views with the party’s grassroots level activists after her road-march programme.
Khaleda Zia, also the leader of the opposition, is planning to meet presidents, general secretaries and organising secretaries of the party’s district, upazila and municipality units to make up for the organisational loss caused by non-holding of grassroots representatives’ councils, a programme launched by her son Tarique Rahman, a top leader of the party told New Age recently.
The grassroots level leaders will be invited to Dhaka in phases and Khaleda will take their views on the ways to strengthen the party and next course of action in its anti-government campaign. She will also ask the local level leaders to remove their differences.
After becoming the senior joint secretary general of BNP in 2002, Tarique Rahman, now the senior vice-chairman of the party, had started holding grassroots representatives’ conferences to gear up organisational activities across the country.
Party insiders said Khaleda wanted to continue her activism as well as to strengthen the party by holding organisational programmes instead of violent street agitation until a ‘final push’ to unseat the government.
‘Khaleda Zia will steer the party towards a better position to pave the way for Tarique’s return to the country before the next general election,’ said another senior leader.
‘The leader of the opposition during her countrywide road-march campaign is assessing the popular mood and their response to her call for a tougher anti-government movement, but she could not yet discuss organisational matters with the grassroots level leaders,’ he said.
‘Against this backdrop,’ he said, ‘the chairperson
has decided to exchange views with the local leaders.’
Khaleda has already led road-marches to Sylhet, Bogra and Chapainawabganj and is scheduled to lead another road-march to Khulna on November 26.
She will conclude the programme by leading a road march to the port city of Chittagong possibly in December.
Khaleda is also likely to address rallies in Rangpur or Dinajpur and in Barisal.
Party insiders said Khaleda’s countrywide campaign was aimed at rallying support for its demand for mid-term polls by projecting the government ‘failures’ in containing prices, slide in law and order and reining in share market gamblers, its top leaders said.
The BNP chief would give a clear message to the government that the party would not contest elections without restoration of the caretaker government system.
Source: New Age
Khaleda Zia, also the leader of the opposition, is planning to meet presidents, general secretaries and organising secretaries of the party’s district, upazila and municipality units to make up for the organisational loss caused by non-holding of grassroots representatives’ councils, a programme launched by her son Tarique Rahman, a top leader of the party told New Age recently.
The grassroots level leaders will be invited to Dhaka in phases and Khaleda will take their views on the ways to strengthen the party and next course of action in its anti-government campaign. She will also ask the local level leaders to remove their differences.
After becoming the senior joint secretary general of BNP in 2002, Tarique Rahman, now the senior vice-chairman of the party, had started holding grassroots representatives’ conferences to gear up organisational activities across the country.
Party insiders said Khaleda wanted to continue her activism as well as to strengthen the party by holding organisational programmes instead of violent street agitation until a ‘final push’ to unseat the government.
‘Khaleda Zia will steer the party towards a better position to pave the way for Tarique’s return to the country before the next general election,’ said another senior leader.
‘The leader of the opposition during her countrywide road-march campaign is assessing the popular mood and their response to her call for a tougher anti-government movement, but she could not yet discuss organisational matters with the grassroots level leaders,’ he said.
‘Against this backdrop,’ he said, ‘the chairperson
has decided to exchange views with the local leaders.’
Khaleda has already led road-marches to Sylhet, Bogra and Chapainawabganj and is scheduled to lead another road-march to Khulna on November 26.
She will conclude the programme by leading a road march to the port city of Chittagong possibly in December.
Khaleda is also likely to address rallies in Rangpur or Dinajpur and in Barisal.
Party insiders said Khaleda’s countrywide campaign was aimed at rallying support for its demand for mid-term polls by projecting the government ‘failures’ in containing prices, slide in law and order and reining in share market gamblers, its top leaders said.
The BNP chief would give a clear message to the government that the party would not contest elections without restoration of the caretaker government system.
Source: New Age
AL to gear up activities at grassroots
The ruling Awami League has embarked on reorganising its grassroots units to gear up its activities to face the opposition ‘politically’ and preparing the party for the next general elections.
AL insiders said that council sessions at ward and union levels had already started which would be completed by December this year.
Council sessions of upazila units would start early next year and district level councils would be completed by June next year so that the party’s central council could take place by July 2012, sources said.
‘Council sessions at ward and union levels are on and those would be completed by December,’ AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told New Age on Thursday.
He said that the upazila level councils would begin after completion of the union an ward level council sessions. District level council sessions would be completed by June next year.
‘We are planning to complete the local level council sessions by June next year so that the central council session can take place by July next year as scheduled,’ said Hanif, also the spokesperson for the AL.
Another central leader said that the party would strengthen its grassroots units and increase political activities to prepare the party for the next general elections.
He also said that the opposition was enforcing various programmes, including road marches, but as the ruling party the AL would face them politically by increasing organisational activities at grassroots and national levels.
AL leaders have visited different districts as a part of its plan to increase organisational activities and face the movement of the opposition ‘politically’.
The party also held rallies at the headquarters of 18 greater districts in July- August this year.
AL central leaders, ministers, mayors of different cities and local lawmakers addressed the rallies.
Source: New Age
AL insiders said that council sessions at ward and union levels had already started which would be completed by December this year.
Council sessions of upazila units would start early next year and district level councils would be completed by June next year so that the party’s central council could take place by July 2012, sources said.
‘Council sessions at ward and union levels are on and those would be completed by December,’ AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told New Age on Thursday.
He said that the upazila level councils would begin after completion of the union an ward level council sessions. District level council sessions would be completed by June next year.
‘We are planning to complete the local level council sessions by June next year so that the central council session can take place by July next year as scheduled,’ said Hanif, also the spokesperson for the AL.
Another central leader said that the party would strengthen its grassroots units and increase political activities to prepare the party for the next general elections.
He also said that the opposition was enforcing various programmes, including road marches, but as the ruling party the AL would face them politically by increasing organisational activities at grassroots and national levels.
AL leaders have visited different districts as a part of its plan to increase organisational activities and face the movement of the opposition ‘politically’.
The party also held rallies at the headquarters of 18 greater districts in July- August this year.
AL central leaders, ministers, mayors of different cities and local lawmakers addressed the rallies.
Source: New Age
Fuel price hike to further raise inflation
The latest hike of fuel-oil prices would further fuel the on-going upward inflation in the country’s economy pushing the fixed and lower to middle income groups into misery.
Economists expressed fear that the series of price hikes of fuel-oil would have a long-term adverse effect on industrial production, employment and living standard of a large section of people.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Mustafizur Rahman told New Age, ‘The decision of raising fuel price came at a time when there has been a high inflation in the economy. The latest hike in fuel oil price will further increase the inflation. People with fixed income will particularly bear the burnt.’
Rights activist Anu Mohammad, a professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, said that a large section of the population would substantially lose their purchasing power which will force them to compromise their living standard.
He assessed around 95 per cent people would be affected due to the series of fuel price hike by Tk 10 a litter in two slabs in less than two months.
Anu feared that a number of small and medium industries might be laid off as a result of losing their competitiveness due to abrupt increase in production cost due to hike in fuel price.
According to the latest data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, food inflation, which was at 12.7 per cent in August, had increased to 13.75 per cent in September while food inflation in urban areas increased to 14.69 per cent in September from 12.94 per cent in August.
The government planed to increase fuel-oil price to match with the international market to offset huge subsidy in energy sector, particularly caused by huge demand of fuel-oil to operate the recently installed rental power plants.
With the latest increase, the government so far has increased the price of fuel-oil including the most essential fuels for transport, lighting and cooking, diesel and kerosene by Tk 12 per litter in three slabs since May this year.
It has increased furnace oil price by 112 per cent or Tk 29 a litre, from Tk 26 to Tk 55 a litter in five slabs this year.
Anu said the government’s policy for power generation caused a huge burden of subsidy.
Mustafiz said that the burden of subsidy caused by fuel-oil fired rental power plants pushed the country’s economy to a vulnerable situation.
He said the government would have to borrow more and more from the central bank to meet the subsidy which in turn would increase inflation. And government’s excess borrowing from private banks would create liquidity crisis for the entrepreneurs which in turn would leave a negative impact on the country’s economy.
He added that the government should take necessary steps to control the price of commodities caused by the increase of fuel prices because a major part of businessmen usually manipulate such occasions to maximise profits.
The two economists feared that the country’s economy would not be able to contain the huge volume of subsidy and fuel price hike for a long time.
Mustafiz suggested the government should immediately go for replacing expensive fuel-fired power plants by low cost gas and coal-fired power plants.
He also urged the government to expand the coverage of rationing and safety net programmes to protect widening number of vulnerable people of the society.
Source: New Age
Economists expressed fear that the series of price hikes of fuel-oil would have a long-term adverse effect on industrial production, employment and living standard of a large section of people.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Mustafizur Rahman told New Age, ‘The decision of raising fuel price came at a time when there has been a high inflation in the economy. The latest hike in fuel oil price will further increase the inflation. People with fixed income will particularly bear the burnt.’
Rights activist Anu Mohammad, a professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, said that a large section of the population would substantially lose their purchasing power which will force them to compromise their living standard.
He assessed around 95 per cent people would be affected due to the series of fuel price hike by Tk 10 a litter in two slabs in less than two months.
Anu feared that a number of small and medium industries might be laid off as a result of losing their competitiveness due to abrupt increase in production cost due to hike in fuel price.
According to the latest data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, food inflation, which was at 12.7 per cent in August, had increased to 13.75 per cent in September while food inflation in urban areas increased to 14.69 per cent in September from 12.94 per cent in August.
The government planed to increase fuel-oil price to match with the international market to offset huge subsidy in energy sector, particularly caused by huge demand of fuel-oil to operate the recently installed rental power plants.
With the latest increase, the government so far has increased the price of fuel-oil including the most essential fuels for transport, lighting and cooking, diesel and kerosene by Tk 12 per litter in three slabs since May this year.
It has increased furnace oil price by 112 per cent or Tk 29 a litre, from Tk 26 to Tk 55 a litter in five slabs this year.
Anu said the government’s policy for power generation caused a huge burden of subsidy.
Mustafiz said that the burden of subsidy caused by fuel-oil fired rental power plants pushed the country’s economy to a vulnerable situation.
He said the government would have to borrow more and more from the central bank to meet the subsidy which in turn would increase inflation. And government’s excess borrowing from private banks would create liquidity crisis for the entrepreneurs which in turn would leave a negative impact on the country’s economy.
He added that the government should take necessary steps to control the price of commodities caused by the increase of fuel prices because a major part of businessmen usually manipulate such occasions to maximise profits.
The two economists feared that the country’s economy would not be able to contain the huge volume of subsidy and fuel price hike for a long time.
Mustafiz suggested the government should immediately go for replacing expensive fuel-fired power plants by low cost gas and coal-fired power plants.
He also urged the government to expand the coverage of rationing and safety net programmes to protect widening number of vulnerable people of the society.
Source: New Age
SAARC leaders pledge effective free trade area
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
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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