DOCUMENT No. 2 
 

Statement by his Excellency Mr. Q.A.M.A. Rahim, SAARC Secretary General at the Inaugural Session

25th Session of SAARC Council of Ministers, Islamabad, 20 July 2004

H. E. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain,
Hon. Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Hon. Members of the SAARC Council of Ministers,
Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I express our sincere gratitude to H. E, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for his presence in our midst this morning. His presence not only enhances the importance of this occasion for which we all  assemble today, but also demonstrates the commitment that he, personally, and his Government attach to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

2.     I extend our deep appreciation to H. E. Mr. Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Chairperson of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan for so ably guiding the affairs of the Council since its last Session in Islamabad in January this year.

3.     Before I proceed further, I would like to join our hosts in welcoming the Honourable SAARC Ministers for Foreign or External Affairs to Islamabad. I avail myself of this opportunity to warmly felicitate the newly appointed distinguished Ministers of Foreign or External Affairs of Member States on their assuming the membership of the Council.

 Excellencies,

4.     It is widely acknowledged that the convening of the Twelfth SAARC Summit in Islamabad in January this year brought about a turning point in the evolution of regional cooperation in South Asia. The important decisions taken by the Summit demonstrate the commitment of Member States to regional cooperation in promoting the welfare of the peoples in the region. Most prominently, the declaration of poverty alleviation as the overarching goal of SAARC and the reiteration of the commitment to the creation of a South Asian Economic Union as its eventual goal by the Heads of State or Government will have a far-reaching impact on the pace, progress and efficacy of the Association.

5.     The three historic documents signed during the Twelfth SAARC Summit, namely, the SAARC Social Charter; the Framework Agreement on the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); and the Additional Protocol to the Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism, augur well for effective regional cooperation in the respective field. Similarly; the adoption by the Summit of the Report of the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA) will help bolster our efforts in combating poverty in the region.

Honourable Ministers,

Distinguished delegates,

6.     I am happy to report that significant progress has been made in the implementation of decisions of the Twelfth Summit.

7.     Alleviation of poverty remained at the helm of affairs of the Association. The Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (ISACPA) is currently seized with the task of formulating a comprehensive and realistic blue-print setting out SAARC Development Goals {SDGs), which are to be presented to the Thirteenth  Summit in Dhaka. You would kindly recall that the Summit had also directed the Commission to play an advocacy role. Accordingly, the Commission organized launching ceremonies of its Report entitled, Our Future, Our Responsibility: A Roadmap to Poverty Free South Asia, in Kathmandu and Thimphu early this month, with similar events to follow in other SAARC capitals in the coming weeks. On another directive of the Summit given to the SAARC Secretariat, the Regional Poverty Profile (RPP) for the year 2004 is being prepared for presentation to the Thirteenth Summit. The Honourable Ministers may kindly recall that the Prime Minister of India in his statement at the Twelfth Summit had proposed the establishment of a SAARC Poverty Alleviation Fund (SP AF) while pledging his country's contribution of US $ 100 million to the Fund. The SAARC Secretariat has since prepared a concept paper on the establishment of the Fund, which is placed before this Session.

Excellencies,

8.     Following the signing of the Agreement on SAFTA, consultations were intensified with a view to creating a free trade area in the region. The Committee of Experts (COE) on SAFTA continued to meet to finalize negotiations on Sensitive Lists; Technical Assistance to the Least Developed Contracting States; Rules of Origin; and a Mechanism for Compensation of Revenue Loss (MCRL) for the Least Developed Contracting States. A comprehensive study on the Regional Multi-modal Transports is being undertaken. On the question of harmonization of standards, quality control and measurement to facilitate intra-regional trade, the Standing Group on Standards, Quality Control and Measurement has since come up with some useful recommendations. The Inter-Governmental Expert Group (IGEG) met in New Delhi in March to expedite its work towards finalization of an Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment and Multilateral Tax Treaty on Avoidance of Double Taxation, and establishment of a SAARC Arbitration Council.

Hon. Ministers,

9.     The signing of the Social Charter brought to the fore a regional dimension of action in areas pertaining to poverty alleviation, population stabilization, empowerment of women, youth mobilization, human resource development, promotion of health and nutrition, and protection of children. Member States are taking measures to implement the provisions of the Charter at the national level. A SAARC Autonomous Advocacy Group of Prominent Women Personalities (SAWAG) which met in Islamabad has recommended a host of measures to carry forward the objectives enshrined in the Charter. Following the designation of the year 2004 as the "SAARC Awareness Year for TB and HIV/AIDS", a number of activities were organized in Member States to observe the Year with many more to follow in the coming months.

10.   You would kindly recall that the Twelfth Summit in Islamabad had instituted the SAARC Award. Following this, necessary activities have been initiated and the first-ever SAARC Award is expected to be presented at the Thirteenth Summit in Dhaka early next year.

Distinguished guests,

Hon. Ministers,

Distinguished guests,

11. The Government of Pakistan deserves commendation from all of us for the leadership it has provided to the Association in its capacity as the current Chair. I would like to thank the Government of Pakistan for the excellent arrangements made for this Inaugural Session and the meeting that follows. I am confident that this Session of the Council of Ministers will help us to prepare for the Thirteenth Summit early next year.

12. My team from the Secretariat and I are at the disposal of the chair to make this meeting a success.

 I thank you. 

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