Presentation on

SAARC

By Goutam Ghosh

Head – South Asia FICCI

SAARC

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (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.

Its seven founding members are Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Afghanistan joined the organisation in 2007.

It is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Secretariate

The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987

It is headed by the Secretary General appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member Countries in an alphabetical order for a three-year term

The Secretariat coordinates and monitors implementation of activities, prepares for and services meetings, and serves as a channel of communication between the Association and its Member States as well as other regional organisations

The SAARC Secretariat and Member States observe 8th December as the SAARC Charter Day

Apex and Recognised Bodies of SAARC

SAARC has six Apex Bodies, namely,

SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), Islamabad

SAARCLAW (South Asian Association For Regional Cooperation In Law), Guragon

South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), New Delhi

South Asia Foundation (SAF), New Delhi

South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC), Kathmandu

Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL), New Delhi

SAARC also has about 17 recognised bodies

Creation of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI)

SAARC Secretariat Study on Trade,

Manufactures and Services 1988

Recommended formation of SAARC

Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(SCCI) in 1991

Seven National Apex Chambers join

together to create SAARC Chamber in

1994

SCCI gets official recognisation from the

National Governments of SAARC Countries

in 1992

Improve in business environment

Disseminate information about potential

tradable goods

Identify potential joint ventures

to

Institutional Set Up

SCCI Permanent Secretariat – Islamabad

The SCCI comprise the following organs:

a. The Executive Committee

b. The General Assembly

c. The Secretariat

President elected for two years by the Executive Committee of

SCCI

President ship is on rotation

The First President was Mr S N Inam from Pakistan

The Current President is Mr Vikramjit Singh Sahney from India

Organizational Flow Chart

PRESIDENT SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry

VICE PRESIDENT Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,

Pakistan, Sri Lanka

SAARC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AND INDUSTRY (SECRETARIAT)

Executive Committee and General

Assembly Members

SCCI COUNCILS Tourism, Construction, Women

Entrepreneurs etc.

SAARC DESKS FBCCI, BCCI, FICCI, MNCCI, FNCCI, FPCCI,

FCCISL

The constituents of SCCI are : Apex National Chambers representing large number of regional and local chambers/business Associations in eight countries

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (to be

formally inducted)

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce &

Industry

Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry

Maldives National Chambers of Commerce & Industry

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry

Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri

Lanka

Objectives of SCCI The objectives of the SCCI are:

To encourage Trade, Service, Industry, Small & Medium Enterprise

To make recommendations to safeguard the economic and business

interests of the SAARC

To serve as a consultative body of the Private Sector of the region

To encourage Member Countries to accord preferential terms of

trade to each other

To promote the exchange of commercial, technical, industrial

management and scientific information, education and know-how

amongst its members

To collate, collect and disseminate statistical data and joint research

and development among the SAARC Member Countries

Focused Areas

The thrust areas for the SCCI can be divided in to five major areas:

Awareness building on key economic issues like trade facilitation,

NTBs, TBTs, harmonization of customs procedures, intra-regional

investment etc.

Develop global linkages as a part of its outreach strategy

Provide services to its members and representatives of the private

sector

Work closely with governments and civil society to raise the

concern on socio-economic issues

Develop an institutional framework for supporting economic

cooperation

Business to Government (B2G) linkages

Acting as advisory group on member governments to

proceed on regional economic cooperation agenda

To give policy inputs and business perspective for various

issues pertaining trade and investment

SCCI and its members Federations are permanent invitees to

several committees of member governments

SAARC Chamber is working consistently to impress upon the

governments of the region to give primacy to economic

issues leaving politics behind

Achievements of SCCI

SCCI acceptance and respectability in all countries with

businessmen and policy makers

SAARC Secretariat has accepted several recommendations of

SCCI with regard to SAPTA, SAFTA, Visa exemption and other

issues

SAARC Chamber is a permanent invitee to SAARC Committee

for economic cooperation, which meet from time to time to

discuss economic issues

SAARC Chamber has been successful in expanding business

networks and establishing successful business partnerships

Prominent role in bringing closer the business communities of

India and Pakistan in particular

Role of FICCI in SCCI

FICCI played a catalytic role from the very inception with the

objective of nurturing and empowering private sector

organizations for promoting regional economic cooperation

and is one of the founding members of SCCI

FICCI shares SCCI objective to liberalize the markets of South

Asia in order to create a dynamic, prosperous and peaceful

South Asia.

FICCI strongly believes in the potential of regional

cooperation to end historical conflict.

FICCI’s Initiatives in fostering India’s Trade and Commerce with the SAARC countries

SCCI and FICCI remains committed to playing a pivotal role in enhancing trade and economic cooperation among SAARC nations.

Has strengthened its networking with the government, civil society, business community and intelligentsia in the region

Capacity building of Chambers of Commerce within SAARC region

Sensitizing business community from time-to-time on SAARC issues pertaining to: SAPTA and now SAFTA

Movement of people and goods in the SAARC region

Harmonization & mutual recognition of standards

Facilitation of Intra-Regional Trade and Investment

Government-Industry Partnership

Buyer-Seller Meets

Contd.

FICCI jointly with SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized 1st and 2nd SAARC Business Leaders Conclave in 2005 and 2007 at New Delhi and Mumbai respectively. The 3rd and 4th edition was held in 2009 and 2001 at Colombo and Kathmandu respectively.

The 5th SAARC Business Leaders Conclave will be organized by FICCI in January 2014 at New Delhi.

FICCI jointly with MEA, SAARC Secretariat, ADB and SCCI organized a conference on Harnessing Business Opportunities for South Asian Economic Integration in November, 2009.

FICCI also has a specialized forum known as FICCI SAARC Forum. Its membership is open to corporate, business houses, small & medium enterprises of India with focused business interest in SAARC countries. It provides business information, match making and visa assistance to its members

Thank you!