M.A. 2nd Semester are (Presentation 1).pptx
- 1. SAARC AND ASEAN GROUP 3 SNEHA SAHU JYOTI CHOUHAN APOORVA AHIRWAR KUNAL BAGIHAR MOHNEESH PARTE
- 12. INTRODUCTION The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) is an organisation of South Asian nations, which was established on 8 December 1985 when the government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka formally adopted its charter providing for the promotion of economic and social progress, cultural development within the South Asia region and also for Friendship and cooperation with other developing countries. • It is dedicated to economic, technological, social and cultural development emphasising collective self- reliance. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organisation: almost 1.5 billion combined population of its member states. In April 2007, Afghanistan became its eighth member.
- 13. Objectives of SAARC: The objectives of SAARC, as defined in its charter, are as follows: i. Promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and improve their quality of life; ii. Accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region by providing all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and realise their full potential; iii. Promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia; iv. Contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another’s problems;
- 14. Objectives of SAARC- Continued…. • Promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields; • Strengthen co-operation with other developing countries; • Strengthen co-operation among themselves in international forms on matters of common interest; and • Cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.
- 15. Principles of SAARC: The SAARC member nations are guided by the following principles: • (i) Cooperation within the framework of the Association shall be based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs of other states and mutual benefit. • (ii) Such cooperation shall not be a substitute for bilateral and multilateral cooperation but shall complement them. • (iii) Such cooperation shall not be inconsistent with bilateral and multilateral obligations.
- 19. Limitations of SAARC Continued….
- 20. Evaluation of SAARC • The SAARC is, however, yet to become a fully healthy and efficient regional organization for cooperation and development. • It is still far away from achieving the desired objective of making it a South Asian Union on the pattern of European Union. • At the Sixth SAARC Summit, the SAARC leaders tried to realize this objective by agreeing to remove trade barriers for gradually evolving SAARC into a collective economic system. However, to translate this into a reality, still appears to be a distant dream. • The existence of political differences, particularly between the two major SAARC members— India and Pakistan, and the attempts of the latter to sow seeds of discord between India and Sri Lanka and India and Bangladesh, continue to keep limited the SAARC attempts at increased economic cooperation. • Pakistan always thinks in terms of parity with India, wants to keep India limited and does not hesitate to create troubles for India. It has been trying to woo Bangladesh and Sri Lanka into its game. Such moves have been keeping limited the SAARC objective of increased economic cooperation in South Asia.
- 21. Evaluation of SAARC Continued…. • India, being territorially the biggest, population-wise the largest, development wise a most developed country of the South Asia, has the potential and resources to play a big role in the successful operationalization of the SAARC programmes for cooperation and development among the member countries. • India firmly believes that the SAARC spirit can help the countries of South Asia to develop, and to resolve their bilateral issues outside the SAARC platform. But the existence of bilateral problems among the SAARC members and their inability to secure a high-level of political and economic cooperation among them are keeping the progress of the SAARC limited. • Further some member countries even fear the rising economic and strategic power and role of India in South Asia. • In the context of SAARC, it can be said that, the past has not been really productive, the present is not witnessing optimum possible cooperation for development, and the future continues to remain quite dark for the SAARC. • This is bound to be the case so long as the SAARC nations do not really come out of their prejudices and biases. The gaps between words and deeds, and between pious declarations and concrete steps need to be bridged through bilateral as well as regional level confidence-building measures and concrete action plans.