Saarc

INTRODUCTION & EVOLUTION: SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) was established on December 8,1985 by seven countries of Asia named as Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, India, andSri Lanka. This is an economic organization of eight countries of Southern Asia. SAARC is anevident of the determination of the people of South Asia to work together towards findingsolutions to their common problems in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding and tocreate and order based on mutual respect, equity and shred benefits. The main purpose of thisassociation is to increase the progress of economic and social development in member states,through joint action in the agreed areas of cooperation. In April 3, 2007 Afghanistan became the8 th member. The people of its member countries are around 1.5 billion. In terms of population itssphere of influence
.1(is an area or region over which a state or organization has significantcultural, economic, military or political influence) is largest of any regional organization. Theheadquarters of SAAC are Katmandu and Nepal. Chairman and secretary General are MahindaRajapaksa and Sheel Kant Sharma respectively. The GDP in 2005 was estimated as US$4074031 million and per capita US $ 2777.

PRINCIPLES: SAARC was adopted.
1.Cooperation within the framework of the ASSOCIATION shall be based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interferencein the internal affairs of other States and mutual benefit.
2. Such cooperation shall not be a substitute for bilateral and multilateral cooperation but shallcomplement them.
3.Such cooperation shall not be inconsistent with bilateral and multilateral obligations

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of the association in charter are:
4•Topromote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
•To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development
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