The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) commemorates its historic 40th Charter Day on 8 December 2024. The SAARC was launched by the South Asian Heads of State/Government at their First Summit in Dhaka by adopting the Charter on 08 December 1985. Since then, 08 December is commemorated as the SAARC Charter Day every year.

The Heads of State/Government of SAARC Member States, Hon’ble President of Bangladesh, Mr. Mohammed Shahabuddin; Hon’ble Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan, Mr. Tshering Tobgay; Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi; Hon’ble President of Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu; Hon’ble Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli; Hon’ble Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif; Hon’ble President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake; and Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, have issued special messages in commemoration of the 40th Charter Day. The Foreign Ministers of Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka have also issued dedicatory messages on the occasion.

In their special messages, the Heads of State/Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs have underlined the important role of SAARC as a shared platform to its Member States for fostering mutual understanding, regional cooperation and solidarity. They have expressed that SAARC is the embodiment of the region’s collective aspiration for peace, prosperity and advancement. The SAARC Leaders also re-committed in realizing the collective vision of a peaceful, prosperous and more integrated South Asia. Having possessed massive human resources due to youthful population, rich natural and cultural assets as well as facing the common challenges of poverty, under-development and environmental degradation, South Asia has strong imperatives for regional cooperation, the Leaders have conveyed.

Emphasizing the importance of collective efforts and initiatives to achieve growth and prosperity in the region, they have unequivocally expressed their commitment and support to the SAARC process in order to fully realize the objectives spelled out in the Charter.

The Leaders have also conveyed their felicitations and greetings to the peoples and Governments of the Member States on the occasion of the Charter Day. Copies of their messages are attached. (https://www.saarc-sec.org/index.php/media-centre/charter-day-messages/2024-2)

The Secretary General of SAARC has also issued a message to mark the important milestone. In his message, the Secretary General has conveyed that the special Day provides an occasion to celebrate the numerous achievements SAARC has made in consolidating and streamlining institutional structure, norm setting in priority areas as well as programmes implementation to promote the cause of regional cooperation. This is also an occasion to forge new resolve to strengthen SAARC and reinvigorate all its processes, the Secretary General has said.

To celebrate the 40th SAARC Charter Day, the Secretary General of SAARC and his spouse will host a diplomatic reception in Kathmandu in the evening of 12 December 2024.

SAARC Secretariat
Kathmandu, 08 December 2024

Director (IPA) at SAARC Secretariat Mr. Hari Odari addressed the seminar organised by NIICE in Kathmandu today on the theme, "South Asian Regionalism: Prospects & Challenges."
The Director highlighted various initiatives under SAARC to promote regional cooperation in South Asia.

The Secretary General of SAARC Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar called on the Vice President of Nepal Rt. Hon. Ramsahay Prasad Yadav at the latter's office today and handed over the invitation to the Vice President requesting him to grace with his presence the reception which will be hosted in Kathmandu on 12 December 2024 to celebrate the 40th SAARC Charter Day. Rt Hon Vice President kindly accepted the invitation.
During the meeting, the two dignitaries also exchanged views on the significance of the Charter Day, importance of SAARC for peace, growth and prosperity in the region as well as the need of reinvigorating SAARC.

Secretary-General of SAARC Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar delivered the opening remarks at the inaugural session of the Regional Workshop for South Asia on the Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution being held at The Soaltee, Kathmandu from 9 to 10 December 2024.

Ambassador Sarwar said that air pollution in the South Asia region is a critical environmental and public health issue, affecting millions of people across countries, like Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Sarwar commended the Government of Nepal and ESCAP for organizing this very important regional workshop and for reaching out to SAARC in their efforts to operationalize the Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP).

Air pollution is a transboundary issue, which is causing hindrance in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for the countries of South Asia and beyond. Addressing air pollution in South Asia requires coordinated efforts across national governments, local authorities, industries, and the public.

The Secretary-General expressed his confidence that this workshop will offer an important platform and significant way forward for the region to improve air quality, and welcomed the opportunity to engage with ESCAP and other regional and multilateral stakeholders to contribute in improving the lives and livelihood of the people of South Asia.