Regional Cooperation in South Asia The Role of SAARC

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Regional Cooperation in South Asia The Role of
SAARC

• Shafqat Munir
• Research Analyst, BIPSS
• Research Analyst, ICPVTR, RSIS Singapore

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Introduction
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SAARC Its Origins

• The earliest concept of Regionalism emerges in
  South Asia.
• Uniting the South Asian States.
• Common Civilisational heritage however lack of
  political unity in the early days.
• Cold War Politics acted as a hindrance to
  effective regionalism in the SA region.
• Initiative taken by President Ziaur Rahman of
  Bangladesh 1977 - 1980
• Letters Sent to South Asian Heads of Government
• The First Meeting of Foreign Ministers
• The First SAARC Summit 1985 in Dhaka

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Organisational Structure

• 8 Members
• 8 Observers
• Summit Meetings at the Apex Major policy
  decisions taken at the Annual Summits
• Council of Ministers, Standing and Technical and
  Executive Committees
• Headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal

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Key Activities

• Areas of Cooperation between SAARC member
  countries
• Trade
• Communications
• Education and Culture
• Meteorology
• Anti-Narcotics
• Science and Technology
• Counter Terrorism

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South Asian Free Trade Agreement - SAFTA

• Origins in South Asian Preferential Trade
  Agreement SAPTA Initial moves to facilitate
  trade between SAARC countries.
• Free Trade Agreement Signed in 2004.
• Agreement entered into force in 2006.
• Members pledged to cut tariff and remove non
  tariff barriers.
• Countries to gradually bring down tariff,
  eventually hitting zero level in 2010.
• Tariff reduction in two levels based on levels of
  development.

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SAARC Social Charter

• Charter Signed in Islamabad in 2004.
• Key Areas
• Poverty Alleviation
• Health
• Education, Human Resource and Youth Development
• Women Empowerment
• Promoting Children Rights and Welfare
• Population Control
• Implementation Committees formed at National
  Level.

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SAARC and Bangladesh

• A Bangladeshi Initiative
• An Active Member and Advocate of South Asian
  Regionalism
• A Major Proponent of Using SAARC as a Vehicle to
  Resolve Bilateral Disputes.
• Played an Important Role in Facilitating the
  SAARC Summit of 1998 in the Immediate Aftermath
  of the Nuclear Tests.
• Major Proponent of Removal of Barriers to
  Facilitate Free Trade in South Asia.
• Steadfast Commitment to South Asian Regionalism
  as a key component of Bangladeshs Foreign Policy.

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SAARC The Positive Factors

• A Common Body Fostering Unity Among South Asian
  States.
• Successes in Cooperation on Social Development
  Among South Asian States.
• Trade Facilitation.
• Fostering Greater People to People Contact
  Across South Asia.
• Forming a South Asian Identity Transcending
  Boundaries and Differences.

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SAARC The Failings

• Absence of Security Issues from the Agenda.
• Bilateral Differences Between Member States
  Acting As An Impediment.
• The Problem of Asymmetry
• Problems of Implementation
• Weak Secretariat
• Inability to Create a Common South Asian
  Political Platform

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The Road Ahead for Regionalism in South Asia

• Revisiting the Charter. Need to Address Some
  Critical Shortcoming.
• Addressing the Issue of Terrorism in a More
  Effective Manner.
• Increased Facilitation of Free Trade.
• Effective Visa Regime to Increase People to
  People Contact.
• Decoupling of Bilateral Relations and Regional
  Unity.
• Finding New Ways of Fostering Cooperation and
  Contact Military to Military Confidence Building
  Measures.
• Strengthening the SAARC Secretariat.

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Thank You
Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security
Studies (BIPSS)
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