Remarks by Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI, at the Seminar on “Prospects and Challenges of Regional Cooperation in South Asia: Role of SAARC”, ISSI, 19 December 2024
Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to everyone to the ISSI for this Seminar on the prospects and challenges of regional cooperation in South Asia and the vital role of SAARC in this context. We are delighted to have eminent scholars, experts and practitioners join us to share their insightful views. Our special thanks to Ambassador Imran Siddiqui, Additional Secretary (Asia & Pacific), for his participation. I am sure we would all benefit from their rich perspectives.
Every year, on 8th December, the SAARC Charter Day is commemorated by member states. In 2025, SAARC would be marking the 40th anniversary of its foundation. As we approach that milestone, it is important to evaluate the achievements of the Organization and consider new pathways to revive and broaden the scope of regional cooperation centering around SAARC.
Established in 1985, SAARC emerged as a beacon of hope for a region abundant in economic potential, but beset by formidable challenges. Comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, SAARC was envisioned as a platform to foster regional integration and cooperation. Later, Afghanistan also joined the fold. SAARC’s goals included promoting the welfare of the people, accelerating economic growth, achieving social progress, enhancing cultural development, ensuring collective self-reliance, and becoming a strong voice of South Asia on the global stage.
SAARC has several achievements to its credit. Over the years, it has developed both a policy framework and institutional mechanisms to promote cooperation in the areas of collaboration envisaged in the Charter. Notable among these are the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); the SAARC Development Fund (SDF); the SAARC Energy Ring; the SAARC Cultural Center; and the SAARC Disaster Management Center (SDMC).
It is validly asserted by skeptics at times that SAARC has been more ceremonial than functional; that overall progress has been slow; and that the implementation has remained rather tardy. However, while evaluating SAARC’s performance, it is important to take cognizance of the structural constraints and the political and strategic issues that come in the way of effective regional cooperation in South Asia.
To illustrate, South Asia is among the least integrated regions of the world. The member states are at different and uneven levels of development. The region overall faces huge challenges of under-development — including poverty, illiteracy, disease, income inequalities, food insecurity, natural disasters, and effects of climate change. South Asia fares abysmally low on most of the human development indices. There is low intra-regional trade. There are pervasive inter-state differences and some of the long-standing unresolved political disputes including Kashmir continue to threaten peace and stability in the region.
Further, the region is afflicted by trans-national crimes including terrorism, drug and human trafficking. There are accentuating differences and conflicts on resource-sharing, particularly on river waters. There are weak or non-existent regional institutions, especially in the realm of conflict management and dispute resolution. In recent years, the phenomenon of over-securitization has also been witnessed — engulfing domains from trade to visas to sports. More ominously, the region is becoming a locale for major-power contestation, given that the ‘Indo-Pacific’ Strategy assigns the role of a “Net Security Provider” to one state in South Asia, while the other SAARC member states are part of the BRI.
The current phase is the most challenging in SAARC’s history. The summit that was agreed to take place in Islamabad in 2016 has not yet been allowed to proceed on the pretext of alleged ‘cross-border terrorism.’ This is in violation of the letter and spirit of the SAARC Charter, which excludes “bilateral and contentious issues” from the proceedings on the one hand, and stipulates holding of the summits on a regular basis. As a result, the SAARC process remains stalled in substance and the opportunities existing for deeper economic collaboration, addressing existential threats like climate change, and making progress towards shared prosperity, remain unrealized. The member states would have to consider how prudent it would be to allow the whims of one member state to stymie the SAARC process and subject the Organization’s positive agenda to the narrow self-interests of a single state.
Distinguished participants,
While formidable as the constraints and challenges in the way of regional cooperation in South Asia are, these are not insurmountable. More importantly, in no way they make the idea of regional cooperation in our region irrelevant. Rather, the cross-cutting and trans-national nature of the common threats and challenges makes regional cooperation an absolute imperative. The majority of SAARC member states recognize this reality and remain strongly intent on its revival. Objectively speaking, most of these constraints and challenges can be addressed and progress made with the help of relevant mechanisms and above all political will.
As the world transforms phenomenally right in front of us, South Asia cannot be allowed to remain mired in historical animosities or the vagaries of a new cold war and thus prevented from reaping the benefits of regional cooperation. It is imperative to think hard and clearly about the revival of SAARC process — specifically devising ways of building trust and confidence; enhancing economic cooperation and sectoral collaboration; developing infrastructure and connectivity (both hard and soft); and promoting people-to-people exchanges. Lowering bilateral tensions and moving towards resolution of long-standing disputes through dialogue and negotiations would remain crucial for creating a conducive environment.
Let me conclude by recalling that on 2 December 2024, SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Golam Sarwar called on Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus, in Dhaka. The Chief Adviser urged revitalization of SAARC for regional benefits. Among other things, he emphasized that SAARC should focus more on activities that would connect people and enhance the sense of fraternity, understanding and SAARC identity through programmes such as the exchanges of youth, journalists, entrepreneurs, and writers. Prof Yunus expressed the need of making SAARC more impactful, focusing on functional areas such as climate change, sustainable development, renewable energy, among others, which are of common interest of all Member States.
This wise guidance to the Secretary General opens a pathway and enhances the prospects of SAARC’s revival. We hope this opportunity would be utilized optimally and a course of action adopted that serves the interests of all members.
With these words, I welcome everyone again and wish fruitful deliberations during the Seminar.
Thank you.
