VOL.VII, NO.
7 July 1996
MOU ON SAARC-EU COOPERATION SIGNED
A Memorandum of Understanding on Administrative Cooperation was signed between SAARC
and the European Commission on July 10, 1996 at the Headquarters of the European Union in
Brussels. SAARC Secretary-General Naeem U. Hasan and the Director for South and South East
Asia, Emiliano Fossati signed the Agreement on behalf of SAARC and EU respectively. The
Memorandum of Understanding focuses primarily on exchanges of information, institutional support
and training, and technical assistance.
Notwithstanding the bilateral cooperation which already exists between the European Union and all of the SAARC member countries, a strong willingness to improve and strengthen the relations between SAARC and the European Union has been seen in recent years on both sides. The signing of the MOU between EC and SAARC is a first step in setting up a mechanism for promoting cooperation between the twoorganizations. While in Brussels, the Secretary-General held meetings with Vice-Chairperson of the South Asia Delegation of the European Parliament, Anita Pollack, Secretary-General of the European Parliament Enrio Vinci, and Director-General in the European Commission Juan Prat Col.
A detailed round of discussions was held between the officials of the various services of the Commission and the delegation of the SAARC Secretariat on July 9, 1996. They focused on specific areas/projects in which cooperation could be immediately initiated to implement the Memorandum of Understanding.The Secretary-General also met the SAARC Ambassadors based in Brussels and briefed them on on-going activities and programmes of the Association.
SAARC-CIDA COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN THE OFFING SAARC
Secretariat and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) have been holding
consultations with a view to finalizing a SAARC-CIDA Cooperation Agreement for the mutual
benefit of the two institutions. In this connection, SAARC Secretary-General Naeem U.Hasan
during the course of a private visit to Canada was in Ottawa from July 25 to 26, 1996 for
discussions with Canadian officials.During his visit to Ottawa, the Secretary-General called on
Canadian Assistant Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Leonard Edwards and other senior
officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
He visited CIDA Headquarters and exchanged views with Yves Bolanger, Director, Bangladesh and South Asia Regional Programmes; Ernest Loevinsohn, Director-General, Food Aid Centre; and Jean Marc Metivier, Vice President, Asia Branch. He also paid a courtesy call on Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Leblanc.The Secretary-General was also invited to deliver a lecture at the Carleton University, Ottawa as part of the University's South Asia Seminar Series Presentation.
The Secretary-General's address was devoted to the ongoing SAARC activities and programmes with focus on economic and trade cooperation and also reviewed the prospects of SAARC to forge closer cooperation and interaction between the countries of South Asia. The lecture was attended by a cross-section of Canadian society including Government officials, academicians, scholars and representatives of NGOs dealing with South Asia.The draft of the SAARC-CIDA Cooperation Agreement is presently under active consideration of the member states.
EXPERT GROUP REVIEWS SAARC CHAIRS,FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS SCHEME
A meeting of SAARC Group of Experts was held in Colombo on July 26-27, 1996 to review the
SAARC Chairs, Fellowships and Scholarships Scheme. The Deputy Minister of Higher Education
of Sri Lanka, Prof. W.A. Wiswa Warnapala, in his inaugural address stressed the need to
breakaway from the colonial mould and construct a SAARC tradition that would be in keeping
with the national needs of the SAARC countries. He further stressed the need to develop a regional
strategy to encourage academic interaction and the linkages between Universities in the region and
expressed the hope that the present scheme will be instrumental in achieving these objectives.
Director SAARC Secretariat, Suresh Pradhan briefed the delegates at the inaugural session on the objectives of the meeting and highlighted the issues that needed to be addressed by the member states to streamline the operation of the scheme. The Meeting conducted its deliberations under the Chairmanship of Prof. S. Tilakaratna, Chairman of the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka.After extensive discussions, the meeting proposed a number of recommendations aimed at improving the implementation of the scheme. Representatives from member states attending the meeting presented status reports on the implementation of the Scheme in their respective countries. The recommendations of the Group include those relating to preparation of a comprehensive information brochure by each member country giving details of their offers under the scheme, expediting dissemination of such information and sending in applications within specified time-frames as well as improving the terms and conditions of the offers to make them more attractive and prestigious.
It also recommended to appoint a Committee, where necessary, at national level consisting of representatives from relevant agencies such as Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education/Higher Education, and Finance as well as University Grants Commission for improvement of the monitoring of the Scheme and sought regular and periodic review of the progress by the Technical Committee on Education, Culture and Sports.
SOUTH ASIAN WORKSHOP ON REGIONAL COOPERATION IN TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
SECTOR
A South Asian Workshop on Regional Co-operation in Transport and Communication Sectors
was organised by Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) in collaboration with the Coalition
for Action on South Asian Co-operation (CASAC) in Hyderabad, India on 24-26 July 1996. For
the last 12 years, ASCI has been undertaking research and organising seminars and workshops
with a view to promoting regional co-operation among the SAARC countries. The Workshop
attended by 24 experts from the SAARC member states was held with a view to examine the role
of transport and communications infrastructure facilities towards promoting and enhancing
economic co-operation in the SAARC region.
The SAARC Secretariat was represented by Director Ashok K. Attri, who presented a paper detailing the activities and programmes of SAARC in thethe field of economic co-operation, transport and communications.The workshop provided a useful forum to identify country-specific problems in transport and communications sectors in a South Asian perspective; to suggest specific bilateral and multilateral strategies, programmes and projects aimed at developing more integrated and co-ordinated regional transport and communication networks, with the view to promoting more cost-effective, faster and more reliable movements of goods, services, information and people across and through regional borders and to delineate the roles of SAARC fora, governments, public and private enterprises, and multilateral agencies in the development of these sectors in a co-ordinated regional framework.
PREPARATORY MEETING FOR THETHIRD SAARC MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ONCHILDREN
OF SOUTH ASIA HELD
The Preparatory Committee Meeting preceding the Third SAARC Ministerial Conference on
Children of South Asia was held in Bhurban, Murree (Pakistan) on 24-25 July, 1996. The Meeting
was attended by representatives from all SAARC member states, SAARC Secretariat and
UNICEF.The meeting was inaugurated by Additional Secretary Shakeel Ahmed of the Ministry of
Social Welfare and Special Education, who in his statement noted that SAARC initiatives have led
to substantial impact towards promoting regional cooperation on a range of policy, legal, technical
and operational issues relating to the welfare of children in the region. Highlighting the issues before
the Committee, the Additional Secretary pointed out that the task before the Preparatory
Committee was to reach a consensus on technical issues to be addressed at the forthcoming
SAARC Ministerial Conference to be held in Pakistan and also present a "Vision for Children for
the Year 2000 and Beyond" by considering emerging issues, trends and future strategies for the
development of children.
The meeting opened by Director SAARC Secretariat, Mrs. Kunzang C. Namgyel was chaired by Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Awan, Joint Chief Economist, Planning and Development Division, and leader of the delegation of Pakistan. The Meeting considered the recommendations made by the Expert Group which had met earlier in June 1996 and noted that its recommendations had been appropriately reflected in the background papers as well as the draft Rawalpindi Resolution prepared by Pakistan. The Committee also considered the draft background papers on the seven themes of the Conference and decided to approve these papers with the amendments proposed by member states.
The meeting while considering the constitution of Working Groups for the Ministerial Conference to discuss the seven themes, decided that the Chairpersons of the seven Working Groups would be as follows:- Basic Education Bangladesh- Environment of the Child Pakistan- Young Child Nutrition Sri Lanka- Maternal Mortality & Women Health Maldives- Girl Child Bhutan- Child Health Nepal- Child Protection IndiaThe draft Agenda of the Third SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children of South Asia scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi on 20-22 August, 1996 was approved. Likewise the draft Rawalpindi Resolution was considered by the Committee.
SAARC CONFERENCE ON COOPERATION IN POLICE MATTERS HELD
The SAARC Conference aimed at promoting cooperation among the SAARC member countries in
the vital area of elimination of drug trafficking and terrorism in the region was held in Colombo from
July 29-31, 1996. The three-day conference was attended by delegates from Bangladesh, India,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Minister of Irrigation, Power and Energy and Deputy
Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka General Anuruddha Ratwatta, in his keynote address at the
inaugural session highlighted the areas of work being undertaken in SAARC and underlined the
challenges that confronted all nations in their attempt to eliminate drug trafficking, terrorism and
related crimes.
In this context, the Minister observed that it is only through sharing of information and experiences that SAARC countries could collectively and meaningfully face up to these challenges. SAARC Secretary-General Naeem U.Hasan through his message to the meeting, read out by Director Ranjit P.Jayasooriya, conveyed his concern at the spread of drug trafficking and terrorism in the SAARC region and the need for taking concrete and collective action. During the three-day conference, delegations presented country papers which primarily focused on issues of concern to individual member countries.
Through these presentations member countries exchanged views on ways and means of further strengthening cooperation, particularly in the areas of terrorism, narcotic drug paddling, extradition of offenders, training, transfer of technology and sharing of information. The meeting made a number of recommendations for the consideration of the Standing Committee. They include, strengthening of the existing SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) in Colombo by providing relevant information from all member states; sharing of expertise, especially in different areas of police investigation particularly relating to organized and drug related crimes; and increasing training opportunities to share knowledge and experience on latest techniques available in the member countries.The participants recommended to have their second conference in the Maldives in 1997. The regular gatherings of Police officers reflects the growing interaction and cooperation of SAARC countries in various areas of mutual interest.
ACTIVITIES IN AUGUST, 1996
-First Seminar of Tourism Council of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Lahore, August 4, 1996.
- Eleventh Meeting of the Council for SAARC Fund for Regional Projects, (Thimphu, August 6, 1996)¨
-SAARC Drumming and Dance Festival, (Colombo, August 14-18, 1996)¨
-Third SAARC Ministerial Conference on Children of South Asia (Rawalpindi, August 20-22, 1996)¨
-Short-term Course on Computer Applications in Library and Information Activities being held at Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre, (New Delhi, August 26 to September 27, 1996)¨
- Second Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Group on Trade Liberalization, (Islamabad, August 28-29, 1996)¨
-Workshop on Training of Trainers in Agricultural Extension (New Delhi, August 29-31, 1996)
SAARC Newsletter is published monthly, which reports on the activities of the Association. Its contents may be reproduced without permission, although an acknowledgement would be appreciated.
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