The 18th South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit kicked off Wednesday as leaders of the eight members states got together here at the capital of Nepal to find ways to make the regional grouping more viable and effective.

All the eight leaders were invited to the conference table and the ceremony began with the playing of the nation anthem of Nepal. The leaders from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives posed again for the official photograph and Chairperson of the 17th SAARC summit, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom President of Maldives, declared to open the 18th SAARC summit and invited Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala to take the chair.