SAARC leaders endorse Bangladesh’s proposal on Charter of Democracy to promote good governance
Reported by: Shamim Ahmad, UNB Staff Writer
Reported on: April 29, 2010 17:03 PM
Reported in: National
Reported on: April 29, 2010 17:03 PM
Reported in: National
Thimphu, Apr 29 (UNB)- The two-day SAARC summit concluded on Thursday with the adaptation of a 36-point ‘Thimphu Silver Jubilee Declaration’ that endorses Bangladesh’s proposal for a “Charter of Democracy” for regional cooperation aimed at strengthening good governance.
SAARC leaders appreciated that all the member states had evolved into multi-party democracies, and underlined the challenges they still face in ensuring effective, efficient, transparent and accountable government for their peoples.
Bangladesh’s proposal to convene an inter-governmental meeting in Dhaka on taking forward the idea of a SAARC Charter of Democracy was noted by the leaders of the 8 nations.
South Asia’s leaders recommended that a ‘Conclave of SAARC Parliamentarians’ in line with the SAARC Charter be convened, and directed the SAARC Secretariat to convene a Working Group comprising nominees of the member states to work out the modalities relating to the establishment of such a conclave.
In this Silver Jubilee Year of SAARC, the leaders emphasized the need to develop a “Vision Statement” and agreed to form a “South Asia Forum” for generating debate and exchange of ideas on South Asia and its future.
The Forum will consist of eminent personalities from diverse backgrounds. It would provide inputs based on a holistic understanding for charting out the future course of SAARC in the medium and long-terms, and recommend requisite improvements in the existing mechanism.
Such a forum could function on a public-private partnership basis, and allow multiple sources of input from beyond governments to be taken into consideration for the future of SAARC.
The leaders resolved that the Silver Jubilee Year should be commemorated by making SAARC truly action-oriented by implementing declarations and decisions and operating instruments to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the region that is home to one-fifth of humanity.
The SAARC leaders focused on people-centric development and noted Bhutan’s concept of Gross National Happiness (GNP). They welcomed Bhutan’s offer to host a SAARC Workshop on GNH in 2010.
On climate change, the leaders said the SAARC member states as developing countries were shouldering a major burden despite having contributed least to the problem. They called for initiating a process to formulate a common SAARC position for COP16 (to be held in Mexico later this year) including on issues such as separate financing for adaptation and mitigation as well as technology transfer.
The leaders welcomed Nepal’s initiative to organize a Ministerial meeting of Mountainous Countries in Kathmandu later this year.
The SAARC leaders called for focus to be laid upon water management and conservation and development of cooperative projects at regional level in terms of exchange of best practices and knowledge, capacity building and transfer of eco-friendly technologies.
Expressing deep concern at the environmental degradation in the region, they reiterated the importance of development through adoption of eco-friendly technologies so that South Asia should become a world leader in low-carbon technology and renewable energies.
They welcomed the signing of the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment and called for its early ratification and implementation.
The leaders called for further negotiations and early finalization of the SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters.
On energy sector, the leaders recognized the need to enhance cooperation in the energy sector to facilitate energy trade, development of efficient conventional and renewable energy sources including hydro-power.
They emphasized the need to undertake studies to develop regional energy projects and promote regional power trade.
The leaders agreed that an Action Plan on Energy conservation would be prepared by the SAARC Energy Center in Islamabad with inputs from member states, which would then be submitted to the inter-governmental mechanism for consideration.
SAARC leaders also called for the creation of a web portal on Energy Conservation for exchange of information, including the sharing of best practices among SAARC member states.
A proposal from India for preparing a roadmap aimed at developing a SAARC Market for Electricity on a regional basis was noted, as SAARC is considering electricity trading, supported by enabling markets in the member states.
Welcoming the SAARC Agreement on Trade for increasing trade cooperation and integration amongst the region’s economies, they called for the early ratification of the deal.
The leaders stressed the need for improving trade facilitation and directed the SAARC bodies to expedite their work in these areas. They recognized the importance of the development of communication systems and transport infrastructures including transit facilities, especially for landlocked countries to promote intra-SAARC trade.
The commitment to implement SAFTA was reiterated, and a reduction of the size of the sensitive lists, acceleration of trade facilitation measures, and removal of non-tariff, para-tariff and other barriers were also called for.
On poverty alleviation, the leaders called for mainstreaming the SAARC Development Goals in the national processes and completion of the mid-term review of the SDGs as scheduled. They accepted the proposal of Nepal hosting the Third Ministerial Meeting on poverty alleviation in 2011.
On SAARC Development Fund (SDF) for financing regional and sub-regional projects, the leaders welcomed the operations of the permanent secretariat of the SDF getting underway, including the appointment of its first Chief Executive Officer.
The leaders called for collaborative efforts to achieve greater intra-regional connectivity and endorsed the recommendation to declare 2010-2020 as the Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC. They agreed on the need to expedite negotiations with a view to finalizing the two agreements on Motor Vehicles and Railways.
The leaders appreciated the SAARC Commerce Ministers’ position on WTO issues and Doha Development Agenda during the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference and directed the Commerce Ministers to continue the process.
On agriculture sector, the leaders called for early consideration of the concept of a regional seed bank, regional testing and certification of seeds and framework for transfer of plant genetic material and seeds.
In the field of education, the SAARC leaders underscored that it was imperative to recognize degrees, and where possible facilitation of credit transfer for open and distance education. They directed the expeditious finalization of mutual recognition of academic and professional degrees, as part of the harmonization of the educational curricula in South Asia .
About terrorism, the leaders expressed their firm resolve to root out terrorism. They emphasized that the linkages between terrorism, illegal trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances, illegal trafficking in persons and firearms all continue to remain a matter of serious concern and reiterated their commitment to address these problems in a comprehensive manner.
SAARC leaders appreciated that all the member states had evolved into multi-party democracies, and underlined the challenges they still face in ensuring effective, efficient, transparent and accountable government for their peoples.
Bangladesh’s proposal to convene an inter-governmental meeting in Dhaka on taking forward the idea of a SAARC Charter of Democracy was noted by the leaders of the 8 nations.
South Asia’s leaders recommended that a ‘Conclave of SAARC Parliamentarians’ in line with the SAARC Charter be convened, and directed the SAARC Secretariat to convene a Working Group comprising nominees of the member states to work out the modalities relating to the establishment of such a conclave.
In this Silver Jubilee Year of SAARC, the leaders emphasized the need to develop a “Vision Statement” and agreed to form a “South Asia Forum” for generating debate and exchange of ideas on South Asia and its future.
The Forum will consist of eminent personalities from diverse backgrounds. It would provide inputs based on a holistic understanding for charting out the future course of SAARC in the medium and long-terms, and recommend requisite improvements in the existing mechanism.
Such a forum could function on a public-private partnership basis, and allow multiple sources of input from beyond governments to be taken into consideration for the future of SAARC.
The leaders resolved that the Silver Jubilee Year should be commemorated by making SAARC truly action-oriented by implementing declarations and decisions and operating instruments to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the region that is home to one-fifth of humanity.
The SAARC leaders focused on people-centric development and noted Bhutan’s concept of Gross National Happiness (GNP). They welcomed Bhutan’s offer to host a SAARC Workshop on GNH in 2010.
On climate change, the leaders said the SAARC member states as developing countries were shouldering a major burden despite having contributed least to the problem. They called for initiating a process to formulate a common SAARC position for COP16 (to be held in Mexico later this year) including on issues such as separate financing for adaptation and mitigation as well as technology transfer.
The leaders welcomed Nepal’s initiative to organize a Ministerial meeting of Mountainous Countries in Kathmandu later this year.
The SAARC leaders called for focus to be laid upon water management and conservation and development of cooperative projects at regional level in terms of exchange of best practices and knowledge, capacity building and transfer of eco-friendly technologies.
Expressing deep concern at the environmental degradation in the region, they reiterated the importance of development through adoption of eco-friendly technologies so that South Asia should become a world leader in low-carbon technology and renewable energies.
They welcomed the signing of the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment and called for its early ratification and implementation.
The leaders called for further negotiations and early finalization of the SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters.
On energy sector, the leaders recognized the need to enhance cooperation in the energy sector to facilitate energy trade, development of efficient conventional and renewable energy sources including hydro-power.
They emphasized the need to undertake studies to develop regional energy projects and promote regional power trade.
The leaders agreed that an Action Plan on Energy conservation would be prepared by the SAARC Energy Center in Islamabad with inputs from member states, which would then be submitted to the inter-governmental mechanism for consideration.
SAARC leaders also called for the creation of a web portal on Energy Conservation for exchange of information, including the sharing of best practices among SAARC member states.
A proposal from India for preparing a roadmap aimed at developing a SAARC Market for Electricity on a regional basis was noted, as SAARC is considering electricity trading, supported by enabling markets in the member states.
Welcoming the SAARC Agreement on Trade for increasing trade cooperation and integration amongst the region’s economies, they called for the early ratification of the deal.
The leaders stressed the need for improving trade facilitation and directed the SAARC bodies to expedite their work in these areas. They recognized the importance of the development of communication systems and transport infrastructures including transit facilities, especially for landlocked countries to promote intra-SAARC trade.
The commitment to implement SAFTA was reiterated, and a reduction of the size of the sensitive lists, acceleration of trade facilitation measures, and removal of non-tariff, para-tariff and other barriers were also called for.
On poverty alleviation, the leaders called for mainstreaming the SAARC Development Goals in the national processes and completion of the mid-term review of the SDGs as scheduled. They accepted the proposal of Nepal hosting the Third Ministerial Meeting on poverty alleviation in 2011.
On SAARC Development Fund (SDF) for financing regional and sub-regional projects, the leaders welcomed the operations of the permanent secretariat of the SDF getting underway, including the appointment of its first Chief Executive Officer.
The leaders called for collaborative efforts to achieve greater intra-regional connectivity and endorsed the recommendation to declare 2010-2020 as the Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC. They agreed on the need to expedite negotiations with a view to finalizing the two agreements on Motor Vehicles and Railways.
The leaders appreciated the SAARC Commerce Ministers’ position on WTO issues and Doha Development Agenda during the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference and directed the Commerce Ministers to continue the process.
On agriculture sector, the leaders called for early consideration of the concept of a regional seed bank, regional testing and certification of seeds and framework for transfer of plant genetic material and seeds.
In the field of education, the SAARC leaders underscored that it was imperative to recognize degrees, and where possible facilitation of credit transfer for open and distance education. They directed the expeditious finalization of mutual recognition of academic and professional degrees, as part of the harmonization of the educational curricula in South Asia .
About terrorism, the leaders expressed their firm resolve to root out terrorism. They emphasized that the linkages between terrorism, illegal trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances, illegal trafficking in persons and firearms all continue to remain a matter of serious concern and reiterated their commitment to address these problems in a comprehensive manner.
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