This document provides an overview of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It discusses that SAARC was established in 1985 and currently has 8 member countries. The objectives of SAARC include promoting economic and social development in South Asia. It also outlines the structure and history of SAARC, describes the SAARC summits that have been held, and summarizes the goals and functions of the organization.

1. SAARC
(South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation)

2. TABLE OF CONTANTS
 INTRODUCTION
 STRUCTURE
 HISTORY
 FUNCTIONS
 SAARC SUMMITS
 SAARC COUNTRIES
 OBJECTIVES
 CONCLUSION
 REFERENCE

3. INTRODUCTION
Late President Shaheed Ziaur Rahman of Pakistan was the
pioneer to propose South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) in 1980 and all the Seven Member
States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka) agreed to the proposal to bring the SAARC in
reality. On the 8th December 1985, the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was born with
the signing the Charter by the Heads of Government; in the
history first SAARC summit meeting. Now the number of
member states has become eight.
The SAARC Group of Experts Meeting on the establishment of
the SMRC was held during
25-26 November 1992 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

4. STRUCTURE OF THE CENTRE:
The Centre has been started with the following divisions:
i.Theoretical Division: This division consist, of
experienced 1 (One) Head of the Division and 2 (Two)
Scientists with background in tropical meteorology,
numerical weather predication techniques especially for
use in the tropics, 4 (Four) Research Assistant and I (One)
Messenger.
ii.SYNOPTIC DIVISION: This division is consist of 1 (One)
Head of the Division and 2 (Two) Scientists with
experience in analysis and forecasting of weather in the
region, 4 (Four) Research Assistant and I (One)
Messenger.

5. HISTORY
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
comprises the seven countries of South Asia, i.e.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka.The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first
mooted in May 1980. After consultations, the Foreign Secretaries of
the seven countries met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981.
This was followed by a meeting of the Committee of the Whole in
Colombo in August-September 1981, which identified five broad
areas for regional cooperation. the Integrated Programme of Action
(IPA) initially in five agreed areas of cooperation namely, Agriculture;
Rural Development; Telecommunications; Meteorology; and Health
and Population Activities.
The Heads of State or Government at their First SAARC Summit held
in Dhaka on 7-8 December 1985 adopted the Charter formally
establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

6. FUNCTION OF SAARC
The functions of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre are:
a. to analyze information, undertake research and disseminate research findings on
disaster management among the Member Countries;
b. to develop educational materials and conduct academic and professional courses on
disaster management;
c. to organize training and awareness programmes for various stakeholders on disaster
management for the Member Countries;
d. to develop training modules on various aspects on disaster management and conduct
programmes of Training for Trainers including simulation exercises;
e. to undertake, organize, facilitate and participate in workshops, conferences, seminars,
lectures etc on various aspects of disaster management in the Member Countries;
f. to undertake publication of journals, research papers and books and establish and
maintain online resource centre in furtherance of the aforesaid objects;
g. to collaborate with other SAARC Centres, particularly SMRC, SCZMC and SAARC Forestry
Centre to achieve synergies in programmes and activities

7. SAARC SUMMITS
First summit
The first summit was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 7–8 December 1985.
Second summit
The second summit was held in Bangalore on 16–17 November 1986.
Third summit
The third summit was held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 2–4 November 1987.
Fourth summit
The fourth summit was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 29–31 December 1988.
Fifth summit
The fifth summit was held in Malé, Maldives on 21–23 November 1990 .
Sixth summit
The sixth summit was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 21 December 1991.
Fourteenth summit
The fourteenth summit of SAARC was held in New Delhi, on 3rd-4 April 2007.

8. SAARC COUNTRIES
Established on December 8,
1985, South Asian Association
For Regional Cooperation,
popularly known as SAARC.
SAARC is a unique concept. This
esteem group is the one
combined vision of eight
different countries of South-east
Asia like Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan,India,
Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
These SAARC nations are home
to nearly 1.5 billion people or
about 22% of world’s
population.

9. OBJECTIVES
Objectives of SAARC include promotion of socio-economic
developments within SAARC countries and also develop a
productive relationship with regional and international
organizations. Based on this, objectives can be categorized as
under:
a) To promote the welfare of the people of South-Asia and to
improve their quality.
b) To accelerate economic growth.
c) To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in
the economic cultural, technical and scientific fields.
d) To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among
the countries of South Asia.
e) To cooperate with international and regional organizations.

10. SAARC: WORK PACKAGES
Ten areas of work within SAARC region were identified and
assignment were given to various SAARC countries. Topics were
allocated together with the countries responsible for the same.
India was given four assignments namely, Business Information and
Data Networking, Human Resource Development, Science and
Technology and Social Dimension of Business Development.
Pakistan had two topics i.e., Trade and Investment. Sri Lanka was
given an interesting topic namely, women entrepreneurs.
Bangladesh was expected to handle telecommunication. Travel and
Tourism were to be handled by Nepal. Bhutan and Nepal had joint
responsibility for energy.

11. SAARC: LOGISTICS FOR VISION 2010
SAARC is the largest geo-economic block of the world with 1.2 billion people. Its GDP,
based on purchasing power parity is $ 3.57 trillion. Its combined average growth is over
7%. Its plan includes a common market i.e. SAPTA. This represents a hope for the largest
pool of poor people of the world, with a consumer base of over 425 million people in the
middle class bracket. It is larger than any economic block of the world. It has the potential
of contributing a great deal to the ever evolving global economy.
SAARC region has the following unique features of the world:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
It has one of the most ancient living civilizations in the world.
It is a sleeping giant and has started to move its arms.
All religions, faiths, and ideologies of the world live together.
It has the largest irrigated land areas in the world with over 67 million hectares.
It has the second largest railway network of the world after the US.
It offers one of the largest English speaking area.
It has labour force of 423 million people. This is the largest of any other economic
block in the world.
8. It also is home to some of the poorest living people on the earth but has increased
job opportunities and self-employment schemes in all SAARC countries.

12. AGENDA FOR SOUTH ASIAN ECONOMIC
UNION BY 2010
Year 2001 was set as target date to achieve SAFTA. This was expected to set pace of
development in core trade and economic cooperation in the member countries.
However, the dream has not yet been realized.
The Ninth SAARC Summit was held in Male, Maldives during May 12 - 14, 1997 and
directed the establishment of Group of Eminent Persons (GEP). This group was asked to
undertake the following tasks:
1.
2.
Develop a long range vision.
Formulate a perspective plan of action including a SAARC agenda for2000 and
beyond.
3. Spell out the targets that can and must be achieved by the year 2020.

13. CONCLUSION
It is high time that all the SAARC countries must
respect each other and strive for developing
peace and tranquillity in the region and give
genuine tribute to the principles of SAARC and
implement a plan paving the way for
institutionalising South Asian Economic Union by
2010. This is needed to usher in a new era of
prosperity for the teeming millions of the above
region.