INTRODUCTION

•ESTABLISHED ON 8TH DECEMBER 1985

•FORMED BY 8 COUNTRIES

•AFGHANISTAN BECAME ITS 8TH MEMBER

IN APRIL 2007

•HEADQUARTERS-NEPAL

•SECREATRY- DR.SHEEL KANT SHARMA

•SAARC IS AN ECONOMIC & POLITICAL

ORGANISATION
 OBJECTIVES

•IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE & WELFARE OF PEOPLE

•ECONOMIC, SOCIAL & CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

•STRENGHTEN SELF RELIANCE AMONG MEMBERS

•CONTRIBUTE MUTUAL TRUST & UNDERSTANDING

•ASSIST IN ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, TECHANICAL,

CULTURAL & SCIENTIFIC FIELDS

•STRENGHTEN COOPERATION AMONG THEMSELVES &

OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

•COOPERATE ON ISSUES LIKE WATER RESOURCES,

 SECONDARY OBJECTIVES

SAARC ALSO LOOKS IN CRITICAL AREAS LIKE

POVERTY, EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORTS & ARTS
.

POVERTY

ØTWELFTH SUMMIT DECLARED POVERTY ERRADICATION AS

THE MAIN GOAL

ØTHE PLAN OF ACTION INCLUDED HUMAN DEVELOPMENT,

FIGHTING URBAN & RURAL POVERTY , MULTI-CULTURISM,
 EDUCATION

•OPTIMUM UTILIZATION OF HUMAN RESOURCES

•EMPHASIZED ON PROMOTION OF EDUCATION

•STANDARDISATION OF CURRICULA, MUTUAL

RECOGNITION OF COURSES

•SAARC TEACHERS FORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED

•FREE EDUCATION TO ALL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE

AGE OF 6-14YRS
 CULTURE SPORTS & ARTS

• PRACTICAL MEASURES FOR PROTECTION

CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF
CULTURAL & PILGRIMAGE SITES

• ENCOURAGEMENT OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS & CULTURE

• LAST SAARC CULTURAL FESTIVAL WAS HELD IN

DHAKA

• COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE

 SAPTA

• SOUTH ASIAN PREFERENTIAL TRADING AGREEMENT

• SIGNED ON 11TH APRIL 1993 IN DHAKA

• FRAMEWORK FOR TARIFF CONESSIONS

• PROMOTING TRADE & ECONOMIC COOPERATION

• INDIA, PAKISTAN & SRILANKA ARE NON-LEAST

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES(NLDCS)

•BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, MALDIVES & NEPAL

CATEGORIZED AS LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
 SAFTA

• SOUTH ASIAN FREE TRADE AREA

• SIGNED IN ISLAMABAD IN JANUARY 2004

• CAME INTO FORCE ON 1st JANUARY 2006

• TARIFF LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME (TLP)

•WAS INTRODUCED

• TLP COVERS ALL TARIFF LINES EXCEPT THE

SENSETIVE LIST

• STRENGHTENS ECONOMIC COOPERATION

MEMBERS & FUTURE MEMBERSHIP

CURRENT MEMBERS

•INDIA
•PAKISTAN
•SRILANKA
•NEPAL
•BHUTAN
•MALDIVES
•BANLADESH
•AFGHANISTAN