SAARC

Origin

 SAARC is an eco-political organization of 8 South Asian nations, which was

established on 8 December 1985 for friendship and cooperation among themselves
and with other developing countries.

 Covering a population of more than 2 billion, SAARC is the largest regional

organization in the world.
History of its Formation
 Idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was discussed in at least three conferences:
1 the Asians Relations Conference in New Delhi in April 1947
2 the Baguio Conference in the Philippines in May 1950, 3-the Colombo
Powers Conference in April 1954

 The first concrete proposal for establishing a framework for regional cooperation in
South Asia was made by the late president of Bangladesh, Zia-ur-Rehman, on May 2,
1980.

 Established on 8 December 1985.

 Its seven founding members are Sri Lanka,

Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
 Principles
■ Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political equality an independence of all
the member states

■ Non-interference in the internal matters.

■ Cooperation for mutual benefit.

■ All decisions to be taken unanimously.

■ All bilateral issues to be kept aside and only multilateral issues tobe discussed.
Aims and Objectives
 Welfare of the people of south Asia.

■ Economic growth, social progress and cultural development .

■ Strengthen selective self-reliance among the countries of south Asia.

■ Understanding and appreciation of one another's problems.

■ Strengthen cooperation among themselves as well as with other developing countries

and international and regional organizations

■ Maintain peace in the region.

STRUCTURE OF
SAARC
The Council
■ At the top, there is the Council
represented by the heads of the
government of the member countries.
The council is the apex policy making
body. It meets once in 2 years time.
Council of Foreign Ministers
■ It is to assist the council. It is represented by the foreign ministers of the
member countries. Its functions include:

■Formulation of policies

■Review of functioning

■Deciding new areas of cooperation

■Chalk out additional mechanism

Rest of the organization
■ Standing Committees
■ Technical Committees
■ Programming Committees
■ Secretariat
Areas of Cooperation
■Agriculture & Biotechnology

■Trade & Finance

■Education

■Information , Communication & Media

■Science & Technology

■Energy & Environment

■Tourism & Social Development

■Culture

■People-to-People Contacts
SAARC Summits
Location Date of Summit
1 Dhaka 7-8 December, 1985
2 Bangalore 16-17 November, 1986
3 Kanthmandu 2-4 November, 1987
4 Islamabad 2-31 December, 1988
5 Male' 21-23 November, 1990
6 Colombo 21 December, 1991
7 Dhaka 10-11 April, 1993
8 New Delhi 2-4 May, 1995
9 Male' 12-14 May, 1997
10 Colombo 29-31 July, 1998
11 Kathmandu 4-6 January, 2002
12 Islamabad 2-6 January, 2004
13 Dhaka 12-13 November, 2005
14 New Delhi 3-4 April, 2007
15 Colombo 1-3 August, 2008
16 Thimphu 28-29 April, 2010
17 Addu 10-11 November, 2011
18 Kathmandu 26-27 November 2014
ACHIEVEMENTS OF
SAARC
 ■ SAPTA(SAARC preferential trading arrangement)was signed on 7 December,
1995

■ SAFTA(South Asian Free Trade Area) was signed in Islamabad in

January 2004

■ SAARC chamber of commerce and industry (SCCI)

■ SAARC constitutes South Asian Development Fund(SADF)

 Regional food security essence

Promoted global objective of shelter for all.

■Convention on terrorism was signed in November,1987

■ SAARC convention on narcotic drugs signed on November, 1990

FAILURES OF SAARC
■ Poor performance of every SAARC member of
HDI and HCI index
■ Over 400 million people below poverty line.
■ Negligible share in world trade
■ No connectivity in the regions
■ SAARC could not lessen the tensions between
the member states
Reasons of Failure of SAARC
■ Hegemonic India
■ Kashmir issue
■ Lack of Infrastructure
■ Difference in culture and religion
■ No executive body to implement the decisions
■ Political differences
ASEAN
History of its formation
■ ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the
signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding
Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand.
■ Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995,
Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999,
making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
■ In 1976, the members signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation,
emphasizing ASEAN's promotion of peace, friendship, and cooperation to
build solidarity.
Aims & Purposes
■ To accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in
the region
■ To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common
interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative
fields
■ To promote regional peace and stability
Fundamental Principles
■ The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,
subversion or coercion

■ Mutual existence and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity

■ Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;

■ Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;

■ Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and

■ Effective cooperation among themselves

Achievements of ASEAN
■ Cooperation in the areas of food production food security, livestock, fisheries and crops
■ Cooperation in the usage of the biotechnology for food productions
■ From 1970 to 1995, ASEAN’s GDP grew at an average annual rate of 7.0 percent.
Today, Southeast Asia has a total market of about 500 million people and a combined
GDP of more than US$ 700 billion.
■ Over the years, ASEAN’s overall trade grew from US$ 10 billion in 1967, US$ 14
billion in 1970, US$ 134 billion in 1980, US$ 302 billion in 1990 to US$ 650 billion in
1995. With its combined trade value, ASEAN is the fourth largest trading entity in the
world after the European Union, the United States and Japan.
■ ASEAN belongs to the wider East Asian region which is approaching economic parity
with the North American region and the European Union. While the combined GDP of
East Asian countries was only 4 percent of world GNP in 1960, it was 25 percent in
1992 and is projected to be 33 percent by 2010. East Asian central banks now hold close
to 45 percent of the world’s foreign reserves.
Failures of ASEAN
■ In ASEAN countries ,problems of controlled media and curbed free speech is prevalent.
■ There was no action against Rohingya crisis
■ Human rights abuses are high in the countries which are part of ASEAN
■ Foreign policy blackout from Trump
■ Wide ranging diversity
WORLD BANK
Historical Perspective

■ Founded in 1944, at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

■ Initial capital was $10b
■ First loan to France in 1947 of $250 million
■ 1947 - Incorporation into UN System
■ 1979 - Lending for the fiscal year crosses the $10 billion mark for the first time
What is World Bank?
– The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to
developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the ordinary
sense but a unique partnership to reduce poverty and support development. 
– World Bank Group Consists of 5 institutions:
■ The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
■ The International Development Association
■ The International Finance Corporation
■ The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
■ The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
World Bank Group
■ The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
■ The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) lends to governments of middle-income and
creditworthy low-income countries.
■ The International Development Association
■ The International Development Association (IDA) provides interest-free loans — called credits — and grants to
governments of the poorest countries.
■ Together, IBRD and IDA make up the World Bank.
■ The International Finance Corporation
■ The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on
the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing
capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments.
■ The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
■ The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) was created in 1988 to promote foreign direct investment
into developing countries to support economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve people’s lives. MIGA fulfills
this mandate by offering political risk insurance (guarantees) to investors and lenders.
■ The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
■ The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) provides international facilities for
conciliation and arbitration of investment disputes.
What Do They Do and How?
■ World Bank works towards fulfilling its two goals:
– End extreme poverty by decreasing the percentage of people living on less than
$1.90 a day to no more than 3%
– Promote shared prosperity by fostering the income growth of the bottom 40% for
every country
■  provide low-interest loans, zero to low-interest credits, and grants to developing
countries
■  provide or facilitate financing through trust fund partnerships with bilateral and
multilateral donors
■ support to developing countries through policy advice, research and analysis, and
technical assistance
Decision Making in World Bank
■ Board of Directors consisting of 25 ED and a President
■ President has no voting power except in the case of a tie
■ Seven of the 25 ED constituencies are made up of one member (US, Japan, Germany,
China, France, UK and Saudi Arabia), whereas Sub-Saharan Africa is divided into three
constituencies.
■ Voice reforms cause increase in the voting share from 44% to 47 in 2009 and to 49% in
2015
■ It is expected to go up to 52 % next year
World Bank and Pakistan
■ World Bank is investing in Pakistan in the areas of :
■ Power sector
■ Education specifically in Balochistan
■ Uplifiting FATA
■ Women empowerment
Crticism on World Bank

■ Neo-Clonialist organization?
■ Often times funds falls into wrong hands
■ Lack surveillance have caused misusage of funds