SAARC consensus on key issues
Rohan MATHES
Food and energy security, terrorism, climate change, water,
poverty alleviation get top billing
COLOMBO: A productive and fruitful 15th ‘Heads of State’ SAARC summit
was concluded at the BMICH in Colombo yesterday, with high priority and
strong focus laid on taking collective action to confront Food and
Energy Hikes in the region as well as the scourge of terrorism.
The Colombo Declaration on the basis of ‘Partnership for Growth for
Our People’ was also considered and adopted.
On reaching consensus on several issues by the Heads of State,
Foreign Ministers of the respective countries also inked the Agreements
on the; a) Charter of SAARC Development Fund (SDF)
b) Agreement on the Establishment of South Asian Regional Standards
Organisation (SARSO); SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal
Matters and the Protocol on Accession of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
to the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).
They also agreed to host the 16th Summit meeting of the SAARC Heads
of State in the Maldives in 2009.
Addressing the media at the end of the Summit at the BMICH, President
Mahinda Rajapaksa underscored the prime importance of economic and
commercial cooperation in the region.
Outlining the global ramifications of reduced food availability in
turn leading to high prices, and increasing energy costs, if not
addressed to, he said, would reverse the progress and the development
achieved by the respective governments.
He opined that in the field of Energy, we should strive to develop
alternative and renewable sources of energy, and make the necessary
reforms in increasing energy efficiency, transferring technology and in
energy trading.
The Energy Ministers of the SAARC countries are due to meet in
Colombo next year to pursue this matter further.
“In the field of energy, we have decided that our approach will be
built on several pillars. Firstly, we shall try to develop and conserve
conventional sources of energy.
Secondly, there will be a strong focus on alternative and renewable
energy sources, including hydro-power, solar, wind and bio,” he added.
President Rajapaksa also underscored the importance of combatting
global terrorism, a menace particularly rampant in the region which if
not eradicated, would affect the region’s stability and security.
“It is in recognition of this reality, that we have ensured the
signature at this summit of the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in
Criminal Matters. We have condemned all forms of terrorist violence, and
emphasized that our States should firmly cooperate, especially through
the exchange of information on terrorism and organised crime”, President
Rajapaksa reiterated.
He stressed the importance of implementing the South Asian Free Trade
Agreement (SAFTA) in both letter and in spirit, accompanied by the
resolution of the non-tariff barriers within the region, which result in
the dilution of the benefits derived.
He said that as a far-sighted SAARC project to unite the youth of the
region, they have directed the South Asian University in New Delhi to
commence its first session in 2010.
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