Introduction To International Politics

BANGABANDHU SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY, GOPALGONJ-8100
Department of Political Science

Assignment On: SAARC
Course Title: Introduction to International Politics
Course Code: PS251
Session: 2018-2019
Submitted To Submitted By
Name of group members
Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.
Nautiyal, D. (. (Narottam Gaan (2006)). . Retrieved from Challenges to India Foreign Policy in the New
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Serial
No
Student ID Name Assigned Topic
1. 18PS204 Susmita Biswas Introduction, Background
2. 18PS203 Nehareka Sharmin Institutional Structure

3. 18PS206 Rasidul Alam Objectives of SAARC
4. 18PS207 Farjana Akter Asha SAARC Achievements
5. 18PS201 Joy Chandra Das Causes of Failure of SAARC
6. 18PS205 Mamun Causes of Failure of SAARC, Future of SAARC
7. 18PS208 Anik Biswas Conclusion
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Institutional Structure of SAARC
4. Objectives of SAARC
5. SAARC Achievements
6. Causes of Failure of SAARC
7. Present Situation And Future of SAARC
8. Conclusion
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INTRODUCTION
The present age is the age of internationalism. No state is self-sufficient. After World War 2, the
concept of regionalism became widespread. There is a tendency to form a regional body to
cooperate in political, economic, and military fields. Article 51 of the UN charter calls for the
formation of such regional and international organizations. In the past, for the same purpose, the
states in different parts of the world are coming together and forming regional or international
organizations. One such in South Asia, the regional body is SAARC. SAARC was formed for the
mutual benefit of the South Asian countries on the basic of regional cooperation. Although many
years have passed since the formation of SAARC countries are geographically contiguous. They
have the same colonial tradition. Yet their interrelationship are not too warm. In addition, due to
some flaws in the constitution of SAARC, SAARC has not been able to say that SAARC has not
been successful in the last four decades.
Background
1
South Asian Association for Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8 December 1985 by
1
বিশ্বায়ন আঞ্চলিকতাবাদ ও আন্তর্জাতিক আর্থিক প্রতিষ্ঠান
ডঃ হাসিবুর রহমান
মোহাম্মদ মুক্তার আলী
মোহাম্মদ রিয়াদ সিদ্দিকী
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86556;
284214; 2%
7%409000; 11%
29813; 1%
5786; 0% 2842; 0%
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
3049704; 79%
Figure:
Economic data is sourced from the International Monetary Fund, current as of December 2019, and
is given in US dollars2
After the inclusion of Afghanistan at the 13th summit held at Dhaka in 2006, there are now eight
members.
The idea of SAARC came into existence in 1980 at the initiation of former Bangladesh president
Zia-Ur-Rahman highlighted to cater to many problems that are facing the South Asian Countries.
In April 1981, when the first meeting took place in Colombo, Srilanka laid the groundwork for a
further in depth discussion by drawing up an action plan for regional cooperation. The South
Asian Association of regional cooperation was established for the regional, political and
economic empowerment for the people. The logic of forming SAARC was to create "a regional
community for common interest, value, action and inter-governmental cooperation". At the 1st
summit, In 1985, was held in Dhaka. Then the president of Bangladesh, Hussein Mohammad
Ershad was elected the first Chairman.
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The seven leaders of the seven countries announced a joint decision to resolve their difference
and work together in International forms. Which is known as the historic Dhaka Declaration.
The first SAARC Summit in 1985 identified the following eight areas as areas of mutual
assistance, cooperation and sympathy among the six SAARC countries.
Areas of collaboration –
Agriculture
● Rural Development (including livestock and fisheries)
● Health & Population Activists
● Women, Youth & Children
● *Science & Technology
● Transport (including land, water, railway & civil aviation)
● Environment & Forestry
● *Tourism
The information is about the list of Summits of the South Asian Regional Co-operation.
Although SAARC charter requires approximately every eighteenth months.
Summit Place Year
1st Bangladesh 1985

2nd India 1986
3rd Nepal 1987

4th Pakistan 1988
5th Maldives 1990

6th Srilanka 1991
7th Bangladesh 1992

8th India 1995
9th Maldives 1997
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10th Srilanka 1998
11th Nepal 2002

12th Pakistan 2004
13th Bangladesh 2005
14th India 2007

15th Srilanka 2008
16th Bhutan 2010

17th Maldives 2011
18th Nepal 2014
19th Pakistan 2016
Institutional Structure of SAARC

The SAARC comprises five layers of organizational structure:
1. Council
2. Council of Minister
3. Standing Committee
4. Programming Committee
5. 3Technical Committee
There are other committees in SAARC
● Action committee
● Secretarial
3

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Council:
Meeting of the heads of state or government, the council is the highest decision-making authority
in SAARC.
According to article 3, the highest authority of SAARC lies with the member ‘Head of the state’
who must meet once a year or more often and who is considered necessary by the member
states.4
Council of Ministers:
Council Ministers, comprising of the member, foreign minister, as the second-highest body. It
means ‘Twice a year’ and its extraordinary session can be convened any time by concurrence
among the member.
Its functions are:
1. The council formulates policies of the association
2. Reviews progress of cooperation
3. Decides on new areas of cooperation
4. Chalking out additional mechanism
5. Suggesting general issues of common interest
To SAARC members of states.
Standing Committee:
The standing committee consists of the foreign secretaries of all SAARC member of states. The
committee meets as frequently as demand necessary, but at least once in a year. The standing
committee’s major functions are:
1. Monitor and coordinate the programs
2. Determine inter sectorial priorities
3. Mobilize cooperation within and outside the south Asian region and deal with the
modalities of financing.
Programming Committee:
The standing committee is assisted by the programming committee. The committee is composed
of the senior government officials of the SAARC member of states.
4
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The programming committee’s functions are:
1. Finalizing the annual schedule of the secretariat

2. Its responsibilities include scrutinizing the budget
3. Carrying out the external activities assigned by the standing committee
Technical Committee:
The technical committee consist of the representatives from all the SAARC members’ states.
The committee cover areas such as agriculture, communication, environment, rural
development, health and population, science and technology, tourism and transport.
The technical committee’s functions are:
1. Formulating projects and programs in their respective fields
2. Monitoring the executing the projects and submitting reports to the standing
committee via the programming committee
Action Committee:
Action committees consisting of the concerned member representatives to put into
practice the projects involving more than two but not all SAARC countries.
Secretarial:
The SAARC secretarial is located in Nepal. Its functions are:
1. Coordination , execution and monitoring of SAARC activities
2. Servicing the SAARC meetings
3. Work as communication link between the SAARC and other international forum.
Objectives of SAARC
The objectives of the the SAARC, as defined in the charter, are to:
i. To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
ii. To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region And to
provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full Potentials;
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iii. To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
iv. To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;
v. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social,

cultural,Technical and scientific fields;
vi. To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;
vii. To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of Common

interests; and
viii. To cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and Purposes.
Manzoor Naazer,Asian Journal of Political Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad,

December 2018
SAARC Achievements
There are many problems in SAARC countries. Although the SAARC countries share the same
traditional. However, relations between the two countries did not improve. Despite the
difficulties, SAARC countries to do its best to play some role as a new area of cooperation.
There have also been success in SAARC cooperation over the last four decades. Below are the
successes or achievement of SAARC:
SAFTA:
SAARC introduced SAFTA to boost trade between the member and emphasizing that there was
a need to understand the "South Asian Free zone exchange" South Asian Identity: The most
important achievement of SAARC are to bring members of the state class and there about
regional issues and identity. It is important not to think as a South Asian but proud of a South
Asian identity within the region
SAPTA:
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SAARC preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed in 1993 and entered into force
in 1995.
-To promote and sustain mutual trade and economic co-operation within the SAARC region
through the exchange of concessions.
The SAARC Food Bank:
It was recognized originally to facilities as an emergency source for facing a crisis in shortage or
a natural disaster, floods, earthquakes and such other issues.
SAARC Development Fund:

SDF was objective to promote the welfare people of South Asian Region.
-To improve their quality of life
-To increase their economic growth.
-To deal with social progress and poverty
South Asian University:
The South Asian University is another achievement by the member’s state. The cooperation on
education as one of the few achievements of SAARC. It may also be a catalyst for the regional
progress.
The Challenges on Environmental Security in South Asia:

The late 1970s include rising poverty, rapid population growth, spread of infectious diseases, and
environmental degradation all over the world and South Asia in particular. But true security was
understood on the power of state secrecy, nuclear and military power. 81 When discussing about
national security it leads one the realm of human rights, and internal repressions. Political
instability is also one of the main threats to national security.
Causes of Failure of SAARC

The South Asian Region compromises countries sharing common history heritage and culture.
SAARC almost failed to accomplish its ambitious objective during the last 25 years due to the
political difference, conflicts and poor economic state of the members. SAARC failed to hold 11
annual summits for political reasons, both at the Bilateral and Internal levels. In the wake of
conflict in south Asian, regional power politics has been holding SAARC back from achieving
its progress.
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• SAARC Charter Article X(2) of the SAARC Charter mandates that decisions, at all levels in
SAARC, are only of multilateral issues, and only those issues are for inclusion in the agenda in a
SAARC summit meeting on the basis of unanimity
• Rivalry between India and Pakistan, the two largest members of SAARC, has hovered hugely
on SAARC. The rivalry continues to restrain SAARC from functioning as a sub-regional
organization
• Weak Cultural Identities -The South Asian Region comprises countries sharing common history,
heritage and culture. The horrors of divisions and sub-divisions have however created fissures.
These fissures are commonly articulated through the ideas of distinct cultures. Pakistan wants to
assert itself as Islamic State and calls India a Hindu State. The debates regarding identity are
similarly going on in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Present situation
A lack of direction and abundance of mistrust almost guarantees an early and miserable demise
for SAARC. SAARC as a platform as also been unable to establish relations of trust among
members and shape their confidence on each other its umbrella. Such factors have been
detrimental to its growth and made it distinction. While the corona virus continues to claim lives
all around the world. Our South Asian Region still has a long way to tread in terms of joint
regional resources operations that combat the epidemic, as we still face trust issues within our
conflicted neighborhood. An organization that lacks even smooth admistrative functioning
cannot be expected to work for strategic regional goals.
Future of SAARC
The future of SAARC is also at stake for the same reason because of the Indian attitude of
treating other countries of the region according to her own designs. SAARC future hinges on
relations between India and Pakistan and how to the politics over Afghanistan develop. India has
already developed regional arrangement to live without SAARC. If India- Pakistan tensions
persist, 12 both countries will focus elsewhere and let SAARC either remain dormant or die a
ceremonial death.
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Conclusion
The SAARC balance sheet of success is very limited to adoption of several convention like
SAARC regional convention on suppression of terrorism, SAARC convention on narcotic drugs
and psychotropic substance.
There have also been breakthrough in the form of agreements forming SAFTA and SAPTA, but
their success at operational level is still expected. SAARC totally exclude political issues from
its summits, 5this is also one of its inherent weakness.
After the founding of SAARC nearly 35 years ago, members of the South Asian Region have
been able to maximize the integration progression. Finally, it can be stated that SAARC,
although very important, was deferred from its effectiveness and performance by several intimal
problems. It is necessary to understand domestic institutional structures, government capacity,
domestic support, and preferences of political and societal actors toward regional cooperation.
Examining the record of achievements and failure of SAARC in the past three decades, one can
argue that SAARC’s rhetoric has generally outdistanced its performance. SAARC has achieved
few concrete results in the areas of trade, security, and economic welfare
References:
C.Dash, K. (2nd edition ,2008 page -93). Regionalism in South Asia. Francis-e library
era.
Deepshikha Shahi,The Demoralization of International Institutions,University of Delhi, January 2014
5
C.Dash, K. (2nd edition ,2008 page -93). Regionalism in South Asia. Francis-e library
era.
era.
Manzoor Naazer,Asian Journal of Political Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad, December
2018
Verinder Grover,Encyclopedia of SAARC nations, New Delhi,1997
era.
era.

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BANGABANDHU SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY, GOPALGONJ-8100

Department of Political Science

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

1. 18PS204 Susmita Biswas Introduction, Background

2. 18PS203 Nehareka Sharmin Institutional Structure

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

মোহাম্মদ মুক্তার আলী

মোহাম্মদ রিয়াদ সিদ্দিকী

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

Summit Place Year

1st Bangladesh 1985

3rd Nepal 1987

5th Maldives 1990

7th Bangladesh 1992

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

11th Nepal 2002

14th India 2007

16th Bhutan 2010

Institutional Structure of SAARC

মোহাম্মদ মুক্তার আলী

মোহাম্মদ রিয়াদ সিদ্দিকী

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

1. Finalizing the annual schedule of the secretariat

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

v. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social,

vi. To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries;

vii. To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of Common

Manzoor Naazer,Asian Journal of Political Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad,

SAARC Development Fund:

The Challenges on Environmental Security in South Asia:

Causes of Failure of SAARC

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

Deepshikha Shahi,The Demoralization of International Institutions,University of Delhi, January 2014

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

Verinder Grover,Encyclopedia of SAARC nations, New Delhi,1997

বিশ্বায়ন আঞ্চলিকতাবাদ ও আন্তর্জাতিক আর্থিক প্রতিষ্ঠান

মোহাম্মদ মুক্তার আলী

মোহাম্মদ রিয়াদ সিদ্দিকী

Iqbal, M. J. (n.d.). SAARC: Origin, Growth, Potential and.

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