SAARC Summits since 1985: A Profile
14 Jan, 2004 · 1271
Rajeshwari provides a brief overview of the focus and outcome of the SAARC summits held since 1985
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally adopted on 8 December, 1985 by the Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC was established with the intention of enhancing regional cooperation among the member countries and providing opportunities for the member states to solve their differences.
Growth in economic and cultural cooperation among the member states, it was believed would minimize the political differences among the SAARC member states. Though SAARC has not been very successful in this respect, it has nevertheless played a vital role in enhancing cultural and economic cooperation among the South Asian countries. Thus far, 12 SAARC Summits have taken place, including the recent one in Islamabad. The Islamabad Summit has drawn the attention of the international community as it is a joint effort made by India and Pakistan to put aside their differences and work towards meaningful cooperation in South Asia.
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Summit |
Agenda/Focus |
Outcome |
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7 and 8 December 1985, Dhaka
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To enhance and develop the South Asian Cooperation; to accelerate economic and social development; increase people to people contact |
SAARC Charter signed; Dhaka Declaration adopted; decided to set up a Study Group to analyze the problem of terrorism in South Asia; decided to convene a Ministerial level meeting to discuss NIEO, WTO and GATT issues
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16 and 17 December 1986, Bangalore
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To accelerate economic growth, social programmes and cultural development in the region; to work towards Collective Self-Reliance
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MOU establishing the SAARC Secretariat signed by the Foreign Ministers of the SAARC countries; decided to establish SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu; proposals to establish South Asian Broadcasting Programme, SAARC Documentation Centre, SAARC scholarships, SAARC Fellowships and SAARC Chairs
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4 and 5 December 1987, Kathmandu |
To speed-up tangible assistance within the framework of the Substantial New Program of Action (SNPA) for the Least Developed Countries |
SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and the Agreement establishing South Asian Food Reserve were signed; decided to establish a commission to study disaster management
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29-31 December 1988, Islamabad
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To identify areas of core interest in national perspective plans and consolidate them into a regional plan to be called "SAARC-2000: A Basic Needs Perspective" |
Decided to declare 1989 as the "SAARC Year Against Drug Abuse" and 1990 as the "SAARC Year of the Girl Child"; decided to undertake a joint study on the "Greenhouse Effect" and its impact on the region
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21-23 November 1990, Male
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To enact enabling measures for the implementation of the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism
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Decided to observe the years 1991-2000 as the "SAARC Decade of the Girl Child" and 1991 as the "SAARC Year of Shelter",1992 as the "SAARC Year of Environment”; 1993 as the "SAARC Year of Disabled Persons "Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances signed;
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21 December 1991, Colombo
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To emphasize on primary education in the struggle against poverty and the promotion of development; to examine the Sri Lankan proposal for establishing a SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) by 1997; to prioritize the question of child survival, protection and development
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Decided to establish an independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation consisting of eminent persons; establishment of the Committee for Economic Cooperation; adopted the Plan of Action for 1991-2000 as the SAARC Decade of the Girl Child
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10-11 April 1993, Dhaka
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To change SAARC charter to allow informal discussion of contentious bilateral issues on the sideline; poverty eradication in South Asia, preferably by the year 2002 through an Agenda of Action; to decentralize agricultural development and household level food security and small scale labour intensive industrialization
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Framework of the Agreement on SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) finalized; decided to observe 1993 as the "SAARC Year of Disabled Persons", and to adopt the Regional Plan of Action for the Disabled Persons
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2-4 May 1995, New Delhi
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SAARC – Vision for the Second Decade- to identify the areas in which SAARC should focus in its second decade; to eradicate poverty in South Asia by 2002 |
Declared 1995 as the "SAARC Year of Poverty Eradication"; decided to observe 1996 as the "SAARC Year of Literacy"; establishment of a three-window South Asian Development Fund with the merger of SAARC Fund for Regional Projects and the SAARC Regional Fund and a third window for social development and infrastructure development
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12-14 May 1997, Male |
To Advance the deadline for creation of SAFTA to 2001; to enhance Regional Cooperation; enhance political cooperation; accelerate economic cooperation; eradicate poverty in South Asia; combat terrorism and drug trafficking |
Decided to constitute a Group of Eminent Persons (GEP) with distinguished backgrounds in activities pertaining to regional cooperation; agreed to amend Article V (1) of the MOU establishing the Secretariat to fix the tenure of the Secretary-General for a term of three years; decided to designate 1997 as the "SAARC Year of Participatory Governance"
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4-6 January 2002, Kathmandu
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To cooperate in the economic sector, poverty alleviation, social and cultural sector; to combat terrorism in South Asia; to enhance political cooperation
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Adopted a convention on regional arrangements for the promotion of child welfare in South Asia
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4-6 January 2004, Islamabad
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Took place at the backdrop of CBMs initiated by India and Pakistan. Areas of focus included agreements and conventions of suppressing terrorism; narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; trafficking in women and children, and child welfare, apart from poverty elevation; to create a South Asian Free Trade Area |
India and Pakistan took positive steps to overcome past differences and build a strong South Asian Cooperation; an agreement to establish a free trade zone in South Asia was signed along with a protocol on terrorism.
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