ISLAMABAD: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar has called for a fresh and committed approach to address the challenges that have hindered the association’s progress for decades.

During an interactive session organised by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), he also stressed that the organisation’s future success depended on member states setting aside political differences and prioritising regional cooperation.

Mr Sarwar said the recent positive gestures from both India and Pakistan with regard to Saarc were indeed a good sign and he hoped that these gestures could potentially be served as ‘icebreaker’ in future.

In response to a question regarding the scope of cooperation within Saarc, the secretary general said the organisation had broadened its cooperation spectrum in various development areas over time.

He specifically noted that food security and sustainable agriculture were central to Saarc’s collaborative framework, along with other significant areas of cooperation.

Md. Golam Sarwar, who belongs to Bangladesh, acknowledged the challenges faced by the organisation but stressed its unwavering commitment to achieving core objectives such as enhancing intra-regional trade, promoting people-to-people interactions, combating poverty, addressing climate change, improving public health, and advancing women and youth development.

He also touched upon the progress achieved made in these key areas thus far.

Commenting on the secretary general’s remarks, IRS President Ambassador Jauhar Saleem said the secretary general’s remarks duly conveyed a sense of Saarc’s renewed resolve to tackle the challenges and continue its efforts to promote regional cooperation and development across a wide range of sectors.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2024