MAIN FACTS - SAARC



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1. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia. Its member states include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

2. The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional group of countries in South Asia, established in 1985. The seven founding member countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007.

3. Pakistan's diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial on 1 March 2017 assumed office as theSecretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Sial succeeds Nepal's Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who was appointed the Secretary-General in 2014.

4. The major objectives of the SAARC are: To quicken the economic growth, social progress, and cultural development. To develop the welfare of the people of South Asia and to promote their quality of life. To promote towards mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of the problems of one another.

5. Showering praise on Rahman, Aziz said the late Bangladesh leader had an 'inspiring vision' and had initiated the idea of SAARC.

6. The 18th SAARC Summit was held at the Nepalese capital Kathmandu from November 26 to November 27, 2014 and was attended by the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, and the presidents of the Afghanistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. The motto was 'Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity'.

7. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally adopted on 8th December 1985 by the Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the Headquarters of SAARC Secretariat are in KathmanduNepal.

8. Abul Ahsan
There have been 12 democratically elected holders of the office of Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Bangladesh held the first summit in Dhaka, where the Bangladeshi diplomat, Abul Ahsan was elected its first Secretary-General.
9. 1985
SAARC was officially launched in the first ever Summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on December 8, 1985.
10. The second summit was held in November 16–17 Bengaluru, India in 1986. The Heads of State or Government welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the SAARC Secretariat by the Council of Ministers and their decision to locate the Secretariat in Kathmandu and appoint Ambassador Abul Ahsan of Bangladesh as the first Secretary-General of south Asian association of regional cooperation.Rajeev Gandhi prime minister that time.1986



11. The 18th SAARC Summit was held at the Nepalese capital Kathmandu from November 26 to November 27, 2014 and was attended by the prime ministers of BangladeshBhutanIndiaNepal and Pakistan, and the presidents of the AfghanistanMaldives and Sri Lanka. The motto was ‘Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity’. The legal permission on SAARC Satellite Scheme in this summit. The scheme will be developed in all member nations except Bangladesh and Pakistan.
12. Pakistan scheduled to host the 19th summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad on 15 to 16 November 2016. India including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives did not attend SAARC SUMMIT due to 2016 Uri attack. Pakistan postponed the SAARC summit and announced that new dates would be released soon,but it did not happen.