President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ruwan Edirisinghe on Saturday said South Asia has tremendous trade potential, which needs to be tapped for greater economic integration by fully exploiting all indigenous natural resources to make the region an abode of peace, progress and prosperity. According to a spokesman, he expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of prominent trade leaders led by SAARC CCI Senior Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik.
He said the core trade issues should be addressed and Pakistan's role in that regard would be vital as prosperity was not possible without restoring peace in the region. He said that since its inception, the SAARC Chamber has facilitated regional cooperation in various areas for the welfare of people of South Asia. The SAARC should be more active to address major challenges the region faces, job creation for the youth of South Asia - our region's biggest asset - and alleviation of poverty, he added.
"The SAARC CCI has taken initiatives to reinforce a common South Asian identity given the region's close historical, cultural and geographical ties and the mutual aspiration and desire of all member states to promote the social and economic welfare of people. The SAARC Chamber has been proactively advocating stronger commercial and economic relations for a prosperous and integrated South Asia. Since its inception, SAARC CCI has played an integral role in providing an institutional framework for promoting economic and regional cooperation in South Asia," he added.
Ruwan Edirisinghe remarked that initiatives may be taken to utilize the potential of cooperation in the areas of tourism and energy of the region.
He said that with a view to ensuring trade facilitation in the region the problems regarding SAARC visa sticker, removal of trade barriers including acceptance of standard certificate, limitations of infrastructure in the land ports, should be removed. Speaking on the occasion, Iftikhar Ali Malik said the SAARC CCI chief's role is imperative for restoration of peace and prosperity in the region.
Pakistan always strives to make SAARC an important vehicle for regional cooperation based on principle of sovereign equality and still remained committed to SAARC objectives. He assured him full support from Pakistan to make SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry a successful entity in the region. He also emphasised on restructuring production and export processes to improve trans-boundary trade in South Asia.