Saarc summit: South Asian leaders meet for regional cooperation

Published November 26, 2014
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (L) listens to the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu. — AFP
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (L) listens to the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu. — AFP
The President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani (L), the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina (2L), the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay (3L), the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi (4L), the President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen (4R), the Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala (3R), the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (2R), and the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) stand at the start of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu.— AFP
The President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani (L), the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina (2L), the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay (3L), the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi (4L), the President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen (4R), the Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala (3R), the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (2R), and the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) stand at the start of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu.— AFP
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu. — AFP
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu. — AFP
The President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani addresses the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. — AFP
The President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani addresses the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. — AFP
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif speaks during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu. —AFP
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif speaks during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu. —AFP
The Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala (L) shakes the hand of the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) as the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (C) looks on during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu.—AFP
The Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala (L) shakes the hand of the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa (R) as the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif (C) looks on during the opening session of the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Kathmandu.—AFP

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.

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