South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (Research Paper Sample)

SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION (SAARC)
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Brief history of South Asia region
The South Asia region comprises of various political entities such as Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The history of this region comprises of the countries above that are included in the Indian subcontinent and the island countries listed in this section of this paper. In this area, the architectural domes referred to as the domes contributed to the Islamic domination in these Asian countries (Lawrence Saez, 2016). The South Asia region referred to as the Indian subcontinent is renowned for the formation of a seeming inverted triangle shape that makes an extension from the snow-bound ranges of Himalayas mountains in Asia that tend towards the equator. The area includes the high countries listed above and impressive enough in an artistically manner, the famous Tibetan highlands are also included as part of this vast region. The highlands stretch to estimation about eighteen thousand miles from north to south and almost an equal distance from the west to the east and vice versa. An array of a diversified group of cultures are believed to trace their home in this great and remarkable part of the world.
In southern Asia, India is regarded as the biggest largest nation in South Asia. In comparison to other great nations in Europe, there are twenty-four other countries exhibit a diversified culture. The artistic traditions of India are deemed to have much complexity thus regarding them as much rewarding.
What is SAARC
SAARC, (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is considered to be an economic and political organization formed by geography incorporating eight nations in the southern part of Asia. The cooperation plays significant roles in making guidelines for the member countries. In the last period of about two months, this great organization in the south-eastern region has been making many headlines with proposing of new developments in the member states.
The concept of regional and economic cooperation was started in the year 1980 in the Southeast Asia region. The conceptualization of the idea back then after it was thought about was fired, and the imagination presented to the public domain. Before this period, discussions were made on various conferences. First, the Baguio or the Philippines conference, the Asian conference held in new Delhi and the Colombo powers Conference held in Sri Lanka between the years 1947 and 1954. The president of Bangladesh during then made an official proposal about the formation of such a corporation in May 2nd, 1980. After the formal proposal, the efforts by President Zia ur Rahman contributed towards holding of the first summit on SAARC on December 8th, 1985, and this was when the establishment of the political and economic organization was formed.
Objectives of SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is built on an active set of many goals that form a strong foundation. The decision taken and made by the organization involves by the overall policies and objectives formulated by the cooperation since the member states set them in the charter. Promotion of the welfare economics of the member nations and a concentrated form of reliance is among the primary objectives of this excellent cooperation. Other than the mentioned goals areas in the charter of the objectives other areas require an array of details with great focus. Among other targets include accelerating the growth of the economy and vital conservation and development of the Asian culture. Making significant impacts in the acceleration of increase in the economy of the country is one of the key priorities which come under the broader objective of making great remarkable improvements in improving the quality of life thus making the living standards of the habitats in these nations better.
Offering individuals, a platform that provides them with opportunities that enable them lead a life with dignity and make realization in their full potentials. Such opportunities find a place in the list of the objectives formulated in the charter of the organization. Collaboration, in the field of economics, technology, culture and science where the member states have got high aims in strengthening excellent cooperations (The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): An emerging ... By Lawrence Saez, 2016). In addition to this, the partnership appreciation and understanding the challenges that face the other countries. The objective is not so common in the list of targets in other global cooperation in international matters regarding issues that the nations have a keen interest in.
Roles of the members of SAARC
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the members of the SAARC. Various members applied for their membership. Some countries are regarded to as the observers and include China, Australia, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, United States, South Korea and Myanmar. Being a member of observer countries, it means that a member who wishes to become a member of the cooperation, a state not interested in becoming a member but at the same time keeping a tab on the proceedings of the summits. The Member States who wish to make a presentation in the gatherings and making observations on the activities being carried out in the last days. There are foreign policies formulated in the Charter that enable the observers to make comments on the nations. The significant role played by the observers is taking notes on the proceedings during the summit and sending back to their countries where the individuals have an interest in making the cases, and it’s a place where the member countries exchange the greetings. In addition to this, they act as dialogue partners with the member states since they cannot engage in the core issues supporting the countries.
Formation of SAFTA has been one of the greatest achievement of the South Asian region where a free agreement on carrying out trade in the confinement of goods with the exclusion of all sort of services in the fields of technology. The agreement was signed with the principal objective of reducing customs duties that incorporated all the commodities traded on products to zero amount by the current year 2016.
Secondly, the South Asian preferential trading agreement led to the promotion of trade amongst the member states which came later to be put under implementation in the year 1995.thirdly, exemption of visa was done with prior decisions where specified categories of dignitaries were entitled to particular traveling documents which their greater objective was to exempt them from visas within the designated region.
Contribution to Greater cultural co-operation where various summits and forums were formed since its formation with some greater aims of fostering the healthy and vigorous relationship between the member states and other nations across the globe. Cooperation of culture was enhanced by tremendous Facilitation and promotion of a wider participation in culture and arts. The unique cultural interaction was Enhanced by making Hong Kong's profile as the central renown cultural hub of the Southern Asia region.
The SAARC has made significant achievements in providing an advantage for the least developed countries.Through the provision of forums for the respective and regional set of agreements that were made with consideration on the smaller nations to enable them sum up their efforts through the various provided forms of collaboration in and around themselves and finally make large economic developments.
Challenges faced by SAARC
Irrespective of the different achievements highlighted in the above section, the Asia region cooperation was also drastically affected by a set of problems such as high poverty levels in the member states, terrorism that has considerably contributed to the loss of life and destruction of infrastructures and loss of very useful resources such as money.
There exists both external and internal challenging regard ton this; Internal challenges which include weak formulated and implemented SAARC Charter, limited resources, and weak SAARC Secretariat. The external challenges include; issues on defining the regional leadership, political divergence and confrontational relationships. SAARC Charter entails some self-imposed anomalies. There is the provision of not making discussions on the contentious and bilateral disputes. On the other hand, the charter calls for increased cooperation and exchanges and consequently avoids negotiations on bilateral Disputes emerging between the member states.
One of the greatest weakness of the SAARC has always been formulating ways in undertaking the Strengthening of institutional arrangements, mobilization of available and outsourced resources. Secondly, having amendments in some the clauses of the SAARC Charter and thirdly, SAARC Peoples-Club are crucial in reinvigorating SAARC has been a weakness and poses a great challenge to the cooperation.
Drug trafficking has posed a significant challenge in the Indian continent since this region serves as the psychotropic drugs transit in the globe. Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and smuggling of heroin is predominant in the western part. The heroine is added to other drugs such as the Cannabis Sativa, opium and other stimulants that are taken into the bodies through various forms. There exists a substantial nexus between terrorists, money launderers in this Indian continent which have considerably contributed to the growing menace.
Other challenges that face the SAARC include a narrow focus in the agendas of the summits and forums held to cater for various issues affecting th...