Statement by H.E. Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury,
Hon'ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs

Roundtable Conference on "Future of SAARC : Expectations of Citizens"
at
National Press Club, VIP Lounge, 1st Floor, Dhaka
Saturday, 17 May 2008

Mr. Chairman
Excellencies
Distinguish Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A very good morning to you all.

I am truly happy to be here at this roundtable discussion on a topic which is very close to our hearts. I thank the organizers Poet Mustafa Allama in particular for providing me this opportunity to share some thoughts on the subject.

Twenty-three years ago, SAARC- the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was formed with objectives of attaining peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity in South Asia. SAARC embodies that hope and aspiration of over a billion people of South. They joined hands for a better and brighter future of shared prosperity and progress.

South Asia is closely tied through the bonds of common history and cultural heritage. The similarity in our languages, the commonness in our music, shared values of our tradition and custom have created a link, which is much deeper than it may appear to be. The huge human resource endowed with intellectual and technical skill offers enormous potential for the region to meet the challenges that confronts the region.

Today, South Asia is faced with formidable challenges. The region's per capita GDP is much below the developing country average. Intra-regional trade accounts for only about 5% and flow of global FDI to South Asia is mere 1 percent. Widespread incidence of poverty and natural disasters are common challenges for South Asian. In the wake of ever growing challenges posed by volatile global financial market, increasing protectionism, growing energy crisis, continuously changing global political environment requires collective regional approach. SAARC provides the framework for meeting these challenges and for realizing the potentials of our region.
SAARC has brought the people of South Asia even closer. Interactions amongst the members of the civil society, think tanks, journalists, businessmen from the region have been instrumental in creating South Asian fraternity which the founding fathers of organization had envisioned some twenty three years ago.
The last few years have been truly remarkable for our region. The signing of SAFTA Agreement has been a milestone for regional cooperation in South Asia. It manifests our collective wisdom to benefit from a liberalized and preferential trading regime. SAFTA is in early stages of implementation. Greater market access through reduction and elimination of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers and other trade facilitations measures are required to maximize the gains of free trade.
The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) is another commendable achievement for the member states. Once fully operational, the Fund is expected to become an important instrument at our disposal to implement regional projects that would accord visible, tangible and concrete benefits to the member states.
Recent price hike of food globally has evoked serious concern globally. In the region, we need to accord priority attention collectively to deal with issue. Our Green Revolution in the past provided a response to the food shortage. We need to invest in R&D in more appropriate seed varieties. Bangladesh has already approached the UN in this regard. I have addressed letters to Mr. Ban ki Moon, Secretary-General, United Nations laying out some thoughts on the subject. Similarly, to meet the growing demand for energy in the region, the ongoing cooperation in this sector must be intensified. In the wake of rising price of fossil fuel, we must harness renewable sources of energy such as solar and hydro-power. This would tremendously benefit. I believe would change the economic landscape of South Asia. There are other examples in the world that could serve as a model for SAARC. The European Union is an example. It began focused on coal and steal and today in terms of functionalism Europe stands united. There are notable differences of course, derived from separate history and political evolution. But the shared idea is that if there is cooperation across a broad spectrum of activities, then tensions on more central issues will be diffused. But we have to telescope Europe's 300 years experience in 60 years.
The future of SAARC lies in the hands of the member states. It is upon us to nurture SAARC to grow into a fully functional organisation fostering cooperative and collaborative actions on issue of common interest to the region. We must build upon the commonalities and complementarities in our societies to nurture an ambience of greater amity, mutual trust and understanding. Building the future of South Asia will thus depend on the political will of the member countries. We should concentrate on what unites us rather than what divides us.
As we look around us we see the dawning of a new Asian Age. In this post-modern era the past-imperial West is exhausted. Asia is emerging as the new force economically, socially, politically, and even militarily. Its four key players are SAARC, ASEAN, China and Japan. I have a vision of them winging their way forward in a 'flying geese for nation'. SAARC has the intellectual resources to provide a catalytic role as this phenomenon of global politics evolves.
SAARC was envisioned to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia, to accelerate economic growth and social progress across the region. Bangladesh remains deeply committed to SAARC and we remain steadfast in playing our due role for a building a more prosperous, peaceful and stable South Asia.
Thank you.