Colombo SAARC Summit ushers in new hopes

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Aug 6 (BSS)-The just concluded 15th SAARC Summit in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo has ushered in new hopes as the heads of state and government of the south Asian forum, including Bangladesh, vowed to work closely for economic benefit of the region through alleviating poverty.

The two-day eight-nation South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit began on August 2 at the
Bandaranaike Memorial International Hall in Colombo for devising
way and means to undertake concerted efforts by the member
countries to improve the lot of about 150 crore people of the
region..

The formation of SAARC Food Bank and SAARC Development Fund
(SDF) at the summit would further accelerate the regional
initiatives to build a prosperous future for one-fifth people of
the globe living in south Asia, leaders of the regional grouping
observed.

Besides, Bangladesh's robust role in adopting a 41-point
Colombo Declaration, calling for cooperation to fight terrorism
and transnational crimes and facing the challenges of food and
energy security and climate change, will open up a new era for
SAARC to establish peace and stability along with ensuring
economic growth in the region.

The declaration adopted in the concluding session also
covered wide areas of cooperation including improving intra-
regional connectivity and facilitating social, economic and
people to people contact and undertaking sustained efforts to
attain SAARC Development Goals (SDGs).

The annual conference of the SAARC grouping Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka also underlined the importance of conservation on water
resources in the backdrop of a looming global water crisis and
implementing the SAFTA in letter and spirit.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, who led Bangladesh
delegation to the summit, strongly pleaded for increasing
peoples' connectivity, working closely for alleviating poverty in
South Asia and taking concerted efforts to face the challenges of
climate change.

"In this independent world, we could only prosper if we act
in unison. It is incumbent upon us who have gathered here to
clearly prepare the roadmap for SAARC for the greater prosperity
and welfare of the peoples of South Asia," he said in his speech
to the inaugural session of the 15th summit.

SAARC leaders highly applauded Dr Fakhruddin when he
announced Bangladesh's firm stand against terrorism in all of its
form and manifestation. He also highlighted the climate change
issue and sought cooperation to face the challenges through
regional initiatives.

The Chief Adviser, who also held separate bilateral talks
with the heads of state and government on the sidelines of the
summit, also stressed meeting the challenges of poverty in the
South Asia and climate change as well as fighting regional and
trans-regional terrorism ensuring economic progress in the
region.

During the meeting, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed called for expanding
bilateral trade and business in light with the SAARC spirit for
the benefit of their people.

Apart from these issues, Bangladesh along with others SAARC
countries signed four agreements. These are- Agreement on the
Establishment of South Asian Regional Standard Organisation
(SARSO), SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal
Matters and Protocol on Accession of Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan to Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Pakistan Prime
Minister Syed Yosuf Raja Gilani, Afghanistan President Hamid
Karzai, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Bhutanese
Prime Minister Lyonpo Jigme Y Thinley and the Maldives President
Maumoon Abdul Gayoon led their respective countries to the
summit.