The 17th South. Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit reached fruitful decisions after many discussions during the two day meeting held on November 10 and 11,2011 in Maldives. Its theme was "Building Bridges" - both in terms of physical connectivity and figurative political dialogue.
SAARC member countries agreed to direct the SAFT A (South Asuab Free Trade Agreement) Ministerial Council to intensify efforts to reduce the sensitive list as well as reduce non-tariff barriers to trade, Nasheed said in the closing address.
Maldivian President. Mohamed Nasheed said that SAARC nations also agreed to direct the' finance ministers to chart a proposal to allow more financial flows and investments.
On security issues, SAARC leaders reached an agreement on the Rapid Response to Natural Disasters and agreed to initiate work on combating maritime piracy in the reqion.
All $AARC countries agreed
• that they would spend an
• appropriate proporti.on of their national income' on renewable energy technologies, subject to approval of national arrangements. They agreed to convene an expert group meeting to' discuss a regional mechanism to empowerment of women and promote gender equality in the region.
The SAARC Summit concluded with the adoption of Addu Declaration. The declaration, jointly adopted by the eight SAARC member countries, reaffirms their commitment to peace, confidence building, liberty, human dignity, democracy, mutual respect, good governance and human rights.
The declaration reviews their commitment to alleviate poverty and reduce income inequalities within the societies and reaffirms their resolve to improve quality of life arid well-being of their people through people-centered sustainable development.
In the declaration , SAARC member countries show their c onc er n s about the c o nt inuinq threat of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, tr ans'n at io n al organized crimes, especially illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic sub s tanc e s. trafficking in persons and, small arms and increased incidents of maritime piracy in the region; and reiterating their resolve to fight all such menaces.
Chairman of 17th SAARC Summ it Maldivian Presid.ent Mohamed Nasheed announced that 18th SAARC Summit is to be held in
Nepal.
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