Visa is one of the most serious challenges, hindering socio-economic integration process in South Asia. There is a dire need to take appropriate immediate actions to improve air, sea and road links amongst the SAARC member states if deeper economic cooperation in South Asia was desirable. This was revealed in the Colombo Declaration of SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, presented by its Secretary General SAARC CCI Muhammad Iqbal Tabish to Aijun Bahadur Thapa, Secretary General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) at SAARC Kathmandu on Monday.
The Declaration on Tourism proposes setting up SAARC airline with direct flight operations from capital and commercial cities of South Asia in efficient and competitive manner, enabling the passengers to reach the desired destination in South Asia at the same day.
Moreover the declaration seeks involvement of key stake holders particularly the private sectors, which under public-private-partnership model could be instrumental to improve air links and overall connectivity in the region. Iqbal Tabish briefed Secretary General SAARC about SAARCCCI activities undertook in the year 2014-2015 and shared activity plan for the 2016 which also includes the proposal to organise SAARC Business Leaders Conclave as a pre-cursor to the 19th SAARC Summit, which is likely to take place in the 2nd /3rd week of November 2016 in Islamabad.
The Action Plan 2016 also suggests launching of SAARC CEOs/Entrepreneurs' Forum, the proposal of which has been forwarded by Finance Minister's moot to upcoming SAFTA Ministerial Meeting, which schedules in Kabul in March 2016 for endorsement by Commerce Ministers. He further told that construction work of SAARC CCI Secretariat Building project at Islamabad has already been initiated, the completion of which is expected in two year time.
Arjun Bahadur Thapa, appreciated the role of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry towards promoting economic cooperation and assured of his support to carry forward the vision of the leaders of SAARC CCI. He appreciated the ideas for offering space to SAARC allied bodies located in Pakistan in the SAARC CCI Secretariat Building, showing confidence that it would help work all SAARC bodies in Pakistan to work closer and more effectively.-PR
Comments
Comments are closed.