EU for deepening partnership with SAARC
KATHMANDU, Jan 8: Ambassador of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nepal and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Rensje Teerink, has said that the EU is willing to further deepen its partnership with SAARC.
"The EU is eager to enhance trade and investment links with South Asia. In line with its commitment to the Doha Development Agenda, it views trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building programmes as crucial tools that could help transform South Asian economies.
These mechanisms can support SAARC member states by improving their ability to trade while promoting sustainable development work in the region," Teerink added.
EU´s cooperation to SAARC includes tackling challenges with a regional dimension and promoting interstate cooperation on issues of mutual interest.
"Public diplomacy is another area where EU and SAARC can work together for more integration in South Asia," she said. Among other things, EU has also supported SAARC to strengthen institutional capacity and improve mechanisms to implement SAFTA, and to help raise awareness of the benefit of economic and trade integration in the SAARC countries through workshops, networks and exchange programs to stimulate dialogue on themes such as energy and environment, transport and disaster.
Highlighting the role of the EU in South Asia, Maldives´ Director at the SAARC Secretariat, Ibrahim Zuhuree said that SAARC is making changes to existing guidelines for SAARC observers through the forthcoming 35th SAARC Council of Ministers meeting taking place February 17 to 20 in the Maldives.
"The SAARC Secretariat has recently accomplished a comprehensive study about what sorts of reforms SAARC needs in the days ahead. It would also be presented in our forthcoming meetings," he said.
Addressing the function, Major General of the Indian Army Dipanker Banerjee told that SAARC had not been able to meet its goal due to ongoing problems in the region such as political turmoil, trade imbalance among SAARC member states and lack of coordination among member states to cope with those challenges.
He suggested elevating the post of the SAARC General Secretary to ministerial level from the existing foreign secretary-level and increasing the tenure to five years from the existing three years.
Recalling the initial days of SAARC, former foreign minister Ramesh Nath Pandey said that the EU could play a crucial role for South Asia´s regional integration. "The EU has emerged as a political factor in global politics and it will have a good role in South Asia´s regional integration as well," Pandey added.
Speaking on the occasion, Executive Director of Didi Bahini, Saloni Singh, complained that SAARC had not paid due attention to issues related to women and girl trafficking,
violence against women and other gender violence cases so common among SAARC countries. She suggested that SAARC give equal consideration to day-to-day problems that really matter to ordinary people.
