Context:
Secretary General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) paid an official visit to India
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC):
- Established on – 8 December 1985, with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka
- Headquarters – Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Members – 8
- India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- Afghanistan became the newest member of SAARC in 2005
- Principal Organs of the Cooperation –
- Meeting of Heads of State or Government – Meetings are held at the Summit level, usually on an annual basis.
- Standing Committee of Foreign Secretaries – Provides overall monitoring and coordination, determines priorities, mobilizes resources, and approves projects and financing.
- Secretariat – Established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987.
- Comprises the secretary-general, 7 directors, and the general services staff.
- The secretary-general is appointed by the Council of Ministers on the principle of rotation, for a non-renewable tenure of 3 years.
- SAARC’s Specialised Bodies –
- SAARC Development Fund – For funding of project-based collaboration in social sectors such as poverty alleviation, development, etc.
- South Asian University – An international university, located in India.
- South Asian Regional Standards Organization – Secretariat at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Aimed to develop harmonized standards for the region to facilitate intra-regional trade and to have access in the global market.
- SAARC Arbitration Council – An inter-governmental body mandated to provide a legal framework/forum within the region for fair and efficient settlement of disputes, as may be referred to it by the member states and their people.
Source: Ministry of External Affairs
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements about G-20:
1. The G-20 group was originally established as a platform for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss international economic and financial issues.
2. Digital public infrastructure is one of India’s G-20 priorities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)
