Remarks
by the Hon’ble Foreign Minister
at
the Launching of the SAARC Development Goals
State Guest House Padma, Dhaka, 02 March 2006
Secretary-General,
Mr. Chenkyab Dorji
Commissioners
of the ISACPA
Dr.
Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Co-Convener of ISACPA
[Mr.
Q A M A Rahim, former Secretary General of SAARC]
Members
of the Press and Media
Ladies
and Gentlemen
Assalamu
Alaikum and a very good afternoon.
It
is for me a great pleasure to be present at the launching
ceremony of the SAARC Development Goals.
The
Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation
(ISACPA) Commissioners who are present here did a
commendable job by presenting to the member states
their enriching report: Our Future – Our Responsibility.
In that report, they had identified 22 SAARC Development
Goals (SDGs), in line with the Millennium Development
Goals. These goals broadly relate to areas of Livelihood,
Health, Education and Environment.
All
of us present here recall that at the 13th SAARC Summit,
the leaders had appreciated the valuable work of ISACPA
and endorsed the SDGs. They called for follow-up and
implementation of the Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation.
The leaders of the South Asian countries are now committed
to reduce poverty in a participatory manner, provide
food security, guarantee livelihood, improve health-care,
ensure quality education and enhance environmental
security.
The
leaders at the Summit also entrusted the ISACPA to
continue with its advisory and advocacy role. It is
now critically important for ISACPA to bolster the
efforts of the Governments in realizing the SDGs by
identifying time-bound priorities, on the basis of
the actions suggested in their Report. These should
then be linked with regional initiatives for poverty
alleviation. Only then SAARC member countries would
be able to truly focus on formulation and implementation
of concrete regional programmes and projects as well
as forging partnerships among all stakeholders.
You
would be happy to note that following up on the decision
taken at the 13th SAARC Summit, experts from the Member
States have recently considered all issues relating
to the establishment of a Social Window under the
SAARC Development Fund (SDF). Once the SDF comes through,
we shall see a Poverty Alleviation Fund operational
under the Social Window. ISACPA would then see many
of its recommendations reflected there.
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
With
these words, I formally launch the 22 SAARC Development
Goals.
Thank
you all.
