South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The SAARC comprises 3% of the world’s area, 21% of the world’s population and 4.21% (US$3.67 trillion)^[3] of the global economy, as of 2019.

The SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.^[4] Its secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. The organization promotes development of economic and regional integration.^[5] It launched the South Asian Free Trade Area in 2006.^[6] The SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the European Union Officially, the union was established in Dhaka with Kathmandu being the union’s secretariat-general.^[13] The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka on 7–8 December 1985 and hosted by the President of Bangladesh Hussain Ershad.^[14] The declaration signed by King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuk, President of Pakistan Zia-ul-Haq, Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, King of Nepal Birendra Shah, President of Sri Lanka JR Jayewardene, and President of Maldives Maumoon Gayoom.

The member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.^[23]

The SAARC was founded by seven states in 1985. In 2005, Afghanistan began negotiating their accession to SAARC and formally applied for membership in the same year.^[24][25] The issue of Afghanistan joining SAARC generated a great deal of debate in each member state, including concerns about the definition of South Asian identity^[26] because Afghanistan is considered a Central Asian country, while it is neither accepted as a Middle Eastern country, nor as a Central Asian country, or as part of the Indian subcontinent, other than being only in part of South Asia.^[27]

The SAARC member states imposed a stipulation for Afghanistan to hold a general election; the non-partisan elections were held in late 2005.^[26] Despite initial reluctance and internal debates, Afghanistan joined the SAARC as its eighth member state in April 2007.^[26][28]

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SAARC summits[edit]

Main article: List of SAARC summits