H E Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu, Governor of Goa (GoG), has urged upon the respective governments in the South Asia to take adequate and compatible measures to facilitate trade facilitation in South Asia, regarding it a crucial element for economic well being of the region.
He reiterated the need for adoption flexible visa regime to encourage and promote people to people contacts, which was vital for promotion of Economic Co-operation in the region. Dr Shivindar Singh stated it while inaugurating the seminar on "Trade Facilitation" a catalyst for workable Safta jointly organised by Saarc CCI in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry supported by Friend rich Naumann Stiftung on August 4 at Goa, India.
Annisul Huq, President Saarc CCI in his keynote speech identified core issues hindering free flows of goods services, through tangible trade facilitation mechanism and said that without a unified and integrated trade facilitation mechanism the Safta would not be workable document. He regarded inflexible visa regime as a serious hurdle towards promotion of trade in South Asia.
He urged upon the political leadership of South Asia to resolve such sensitive issues, which are impeding the growth of the whole region, Iqbal Tabish, Secretary General, Saarc CCI in his welcome note, said that the trade under Safta rule of origin was insignificantly 682 million dollar in the year 2009, which was due to mainly because of absence of workable Trade facilitation mechanism." The lessons of other regional trade agreements make it clear that the hope of benefits from these agreements itself will not be realised unless Trade Facilitation measures are vigorously implemented."
Ashutosh Bajpai, Chairman Trade Facilitation Council of Saarc CCI said that the council would soon formulate a strategy, suggesting policy measures to the Governments of South Asia and urged for the co-ordinated efforts to make Safta a success.
The inaugural session was followed by technical session - "Is Safta useless without Tangible Trade Facilitation Mechanism," Chaired by Arvind Mehta, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and addressed by Shahabuddin, former Secretary, Govt of Bangladesh, Pradeep Kumar Shreshta, VP-Saarc CCI, Engr M A Jabbar, member FICCI-ADB Advisory Board and Life Member, Saarc CCI-Pakistan, Madhukar SJB Rana, Former Finance Minister, Government of Nepal, Ashutosh Bajpai, Chairman- Saarc CCI Trade Facilitation Council, I K Jaiswal EC member- Saarc CCI & Regional VP -Intl, Asian Paints (India) Ltd, Sheheryar Ali Malik-Executive Marketing-Guard Group & Saarc CI Life Member and Dr Athula Ranasinghe, Head of the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.-PR