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Socio-economic issues to dominate Saarc summit
Kathmandu, Dec 08: The South Asia Free Trade Agreement and issues such as poverty alleviation, health and education will be at the top of agenda at the 12th Saarc summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in January, Saarc Secretary General Q A M A Rahim has said.
Kathmandu, Dec 08: The South Asia Free Trade
Agreement and issues such as poverty alleviation, health and
education will be at the top of agenda at the 12th Saarc
summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad in January, Saarc
Secretary General Q A M A Rahim has said.
The independent South Asian commission on poverty
alleviation, reconstituted at the Kathmandu summit, would
present its final report during the forthcoming summit, he
said in an interview to the national news agency (RSS),
coinciding with the 19th Saarc charter day.
This report will recommend a number of measures for poverty alleviation in South Asia, he said.
Rahim said the summit will also endorse a social charter that would set benchmark for member countries in various areas like health, education and child protection.
The draft treaty of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) will be ready prior to the 12th summit, which will endorse the draft treaty framework and set time frame for moving from SAPTA to SAFTA, he said.
Asked whether Saarc charter can be amended to include bilateral issues for discussions during Saarc meetings, Rahim said, "unless every member agrees on it, it cannot take place".
When asked about the effectiveness of Saarc convention on combating terrorism, ratified by the member countries, Rahim said, the terrorism-related monitoring desk established in Colombo has been collecting and sharing terrorism-related information among member countries which had helped to check terrorism in the region to a greater extent.
Bureau Report
This report will recommend a number of measures for poverty alleviation in South Asia, he said.
Rahim said the summit will also endorse a social charter that would set benchmark for member countries in various areas like health, education and child protection.
The draft treaty of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) will be ready prior to the 12th summit, which will endorse the draft treaty framework and set time frame for moving from SAPTA to SAFTA, he said.
Asked whether Saarc charter can be amended to include bilateral issues for discussions during Saarc meetings, Rahim said, "unless every member agrees on it, it cannot take place".
When asked about the effectiveness of Saarc convention on combating terrorism, ratified by the member countries, Rahim said, the terrorism-related monitoring desk established in Colombo has been collecting and sharing terrorism-related information among member countries which had helped to check terrorism in the region to a greater extent.
Bureau Report