KATHMANDU, APR 11 -
Climate change will be the burning issue at the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit two weeks from now in Thimpu. The Summit, which has the theme ‘Towards a green and happy South Asia’, expects to see a regional mechanism proposed by Nepal to counter the effects of climate change.

According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, Nepal will push for an effective regional mechanism to cope with climate change. Also, Bangladesh and Maldives are likely to support Nepal’s effort to set up a regional body, as both the countries will face the most drastic effects of climate change. Studies have shown that rising sea levels because of melting polar ice caps mean that Maldives might get submerged, while Bangladesh will lose 20 percent of low-lying areas in the Bay of Bengal resulting in the displacement of 25 million people.

Bhutan has finished all the necessary preparations for hosting the summit, which will mark the 25th year of the establishment of the regional body.

According to the schedule, the summit formally kicks off on April 28 followed by a meeting of 38th session of the Programming Committee on April 29.

Bhutan has officially launched a separate website with all the necessary information about the summit. The summit will also be attended by observers from China, Japan, the European Union, Republic of Korea, the U.S., Australia, Mauritius, and Iran along with the eight member states.

According to Hari Kumar Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, the summit is expected to sign the SAARC Agreement on Disaster Response Mechanism, the Convention on Cooperation on Environment and Climate Change, and the Agreement on Trade in Services among member states.

The other issues likely to taken up by the summit would be energy and food crisis, and the effective implementation of SAARC Development Fund.

Regional issues like terrorism, extremism, early implementation of South Asian Free Trade Agreement, and expansion of tourism across the region will figure during the meet, according to officials.

 The other key agenda would be the appointment of a SAARC Development Fund secretary for the secretariat, which is to be established in Thimpu.


Posted on: 2010-04-12 08:19

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