SAARC Secretariat is pleased to welcome Mr. Gyan Bahadur Bahadur Magar, Joint Secretary, MoFA Nepal as the National Focal Point (NFP) of Nepal for SAARC and looks forward to working with him as the Chair of SAARC Programming Committee. The Secretariat thanks the outgoing NFP Ms. Rita Dhital, Joint Secretary MoFA Nepal for her contributions to SAARC process as well as able stewardship of the Programming Committee, including its 59th Session.

1. H.E. Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, the Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Islamabad on 21 May 2024. 

2. During the meeting, H.E. the Secretary General briefed the Honourable Prime Minister on the recent progress on activities of SAARC and emphasized the need of sincere efforts from all Member States in reinvigorating the SAARC process.

3. The Prime Minister, while elucidating the wide-ranging benefits of regional cooperation for the people of South Asia, expressed Pakistan’s firm commitment in strengthening SAARC and assured full support to the Secretary General to carry the SAARC process forward. He also reiterated Pakistan's desire to host the 19th SAARC Summit at the earliest. The Secretary General was on an introductory visit to Pakistan from 20-25 May 2024.

4. As part of his ongoing tour of the SAARC Member States, the Secretary General earlier visited India from 11-14 May 2024. He had fruitful discussions, about the ongoing activities of SAARC and its Way Forward, with the State Minister for External Affairs of India Hon'ble Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, the Foreign Secretary Ambassador Shree Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Secretary (East) Ambassador Jaideep Mazumder and other Senior Officials of the External Affairs Ministry. Indian leadership and high dignitaries reiterated India’s full Commitment to the SAARC process and assured full support to the Secretary General for his endevour to revitalize SAARC. During his visit to India, the Secretary General Ambassador Golam Sarwar addressed the 3^rd Shakti Sinha Memorial Lacture on the Future of SAARC hosted by the leading think tank The India Foundation and had interactive discussions with the faculty members of Research and Information System (RIS).

5. During the visit to Pakistan, the SAARC Secretary General also had fruitful discussions with the Foreign Secretary Ambassador Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Kazi and other senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discussed about the current activities of SAARC and exchanged ideas and thoughts on the future endeavours in revitalization of SAARC to materialize its full potentials for the benefit of the region. The Secretary General also delivered a lecture in the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on the Prospects and Challenges of Regional Cooperation in South Asia and joined in a Panel discussion in the Institute of Research and Studies (IRS) on Revitalization of SAARC.

6. The SAARC Secretariat has been working relentlessly with the SAARC Chair, Nepal to strengthen the process in attaining the objectives of the Organization as spelled out in its Charter.

06 June 2024

During his introductory visit to India, H.E. Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interacted with two think-tanks, viz. Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a New Delhi–based autonomous policy research institute, and the India Foundation. Visit to RIS provided a comprehensive interaction opportunity with faculty led by Hon. Chairman, RAC Amb S T Devare. At the India Foundation, the Secretary General met Dr. Ram Madhav and shared his vision for the ‘Future of SAARC’, during the ‘Third Shakti Sinha Memorial Lecture’.

H.E. Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), visited the South Asian University (SAU) on May 14, 2024, and discussed the university's progress, new programs, and future plans. The Secretary General visited impressive campus infrastructure and acknowledged SAU as a flagship initiative of SAARC. Expressing gratitude to the Government of India for its support, he emphasized SAU's role in providing quality education and fostering regional cooperation in the region. He interacted with Deans and heads of various departments, offering his support to further advance the university.