NEPAL AND SAARC

1. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8 December 1985 as a regional organization aimed at fostering cooperation among South Asian countries. As enshrined in the SAARC Charter, the organization seeks to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and enhance their quality of life. Its objectives include accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development while ensuring that all individuals are able to live with dignity and realize their full potential. The Charter also emphasizes the promotion and strengthening of collective self-reliance and mutual collaboration in various agreed areas of common interest.

SAARC comprises of eight members, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The nine observers in SAARC include Australia, People"s Republic of China, European Union, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mauritius, Myanmar, and the United States of America. Nepal is a founding member and the current Chair of SAARC. Nepal has been actively contributing to the advancement of regional cooperation in accordance with the goals and objectives of its Charter.

2. Summit is the highest decision-making body within the SAARC mechanism. It is convened biennially on a rotational basis and is attended by the Heads of State/Government of the Member States. To date, eighteen SAARC Summits have been held. Nepal successfully hosted 18^th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu on 26-27 November 2014. During the Summit, SAARC leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional integration for peace and prosperity through the promotion of mutual trust, amity, understanding, cooperation and partnership. They also underscored the importance of reinvigorating regional cooperation and revitalizing the Association as an effective vehicle to fulfill the development aspirations of the people of South Asia.

At the conclusion of the Summit, the 36-point Kathmandu Declaration entitled “Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity” was adopted. At Nepal"s initiative, cooperation in the areas of migration, cooperatives and social protection was featured for the first time in SAARC agenda and duly reflected in the Declaration. The signing of the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity) marked a significant achievement of the Summit.

Previously, Nepal had also successfully hosted the 3^rd and 11^th Summits in Kathmandu in 1987 and 2002, respectively. During the 3^rd Summit, the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism was signed, which subsequently entered into force on 22 August 1988. The Summit also commissioned Regional Study on “Consequences of Natural Disasters and Protection and Preservation of Environment”. Two important conventions, namely SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, 2002 and SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangement for Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia, 2002 were too signed during the 11^th Summit.

3. Council of Ministers is composed of the Ministers of Foreign/External Affairs of the Member States. It is responsible for formulating policies, reviewing progress of cooperation; identifying new areas of cooperation; establishing additional mechanisms when necessary, and taking decisions on matters of general interest to the Association. To date, 37 sessions of the Council of Ministers have been held.

The 37^th Session of the Council of Ministers, also referred to as the "Inter-Summit Session", was held in Pokhara, Nepal on 17 March 2016. The Session reviewed implementation of the decisions taken at the 18^th SAARC Summit and at the 36^th Session of the Council (Kathmandu, 25 November 2014). The Council decided to streamline SAARC institutions and mechanisms and make them more effective, efficient and result oriented. The Council endorsed the amendment to SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Charter by reducing the requirement of the provisions from three-member criteria to one-member criteria with direct/indirect benefit to more than one member for launching projects under the Economic window of the SDF. The Council also recommended locating the SAARC Disaster Management Centre in New Delhi, India and merger of the SAARC Environment Center with the existing SAARC Energy Centre in Islamabad, Pakistan.

In addition, the Council has been holding informal meetings in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly since 1997. As the Chair of SAARC, Nepal hosted informal sessions of the Council in New York in September 2016, 2017, and 2020. During these meetings, Ministers exchanged views and shared progress achieved in various areas of regional cooperation and reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at different forums.

4. Standing Committee is the charter body of SAARC at the level of Foreign Secretaries. It is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the progress of SAARC activities and programmes, issuing directives to SAARC mechanisms and bodies, and approving projects and programmes, and their financing. The Committee is also mandated to mobilize regional and external resources and to identify new areas of cooperation. The most recent meeting of the Standing Committee (42^nd Session) was held in Pokhara, Nepal on 16 March 2016.

5. Programming Committee is a SAARC Charter body operating at the level of Joint Secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign/External Affairs, who serve as National Focal Points on SAARC related matters. The Committee meets prior to sessions of the Standing Committee or at the end of each English calendar year to finalize the calendar of activities, programmes and the annual budgets of the Secretariat, Regional Centers and Specialized Bodies. To date, sixty-two sessions of the Programming Committee have been held, with the most recent session convened in-person in Kathmandu on 11-12 February 2026. During its sixty-second session, the Committee made recommendations for the approval of programmes and the annual budgets of the SAARC Secretariat, Regional Centres and Specialized Bodies for the year 2026. It also reviewed the sectoral meetings and activities and deliberated on initiatives to be undertaken in the coming days.

6. Technical Committee comprises representatives - professionals from sectoral fields - of Member States, responsible for implementing, coordinating and monitoring programmes in their respective areas of cooperation. It submits periodic reports to the Standing Committee, and its chairmanship typically rotates among Member States in alphabetical order every two years. The primary functions of the Technical Committee include determining the potential and scope of regional cooperation in agreed areas, formulating programmes and preparing projects, assessing financial implications of sectoral programmes, and recommending the apportionment of financial costs, among others.

In addition to these bodies, SAARC also constitutes various Working Groups and Action Committees. Working Groups undertake preparatory work in sectoral areas, while Action Committees promote cooperation involving more than two, but not all, Member States.

7. SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987. It primarily coordinates and monitors the implementation of SAARC activities, services meetings of SAARC mechanisms, and serves as the main channel of communication in the SAARC process. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General and assisted by eight Directors (one Director from each Member State) and General Services Staff (GSS). The incumbent Secretary General of SAARC, H.E. Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar from Bangladesh, is the 15^th Secretary General of SAARC. He formally assumed office on 25 October 2023, and the tenure of the Secretary General is three years.

8. SAARC Regional Centers and Specialized Bodies

SAARC has five Regional Centres and four Specialized Bodies that support its mandate by implementing programmes and fostering regional cooperation in specific sectors.

Regional Centers:

• SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC), Bangladesh (https://www.sac.org.bd/)
• SAARC Energy Centre (SEC), Pakistan (https://www.saarcenergy.org/)
• SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Sri Lanka (https://saarcculture.org/)
• SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC), Nepal (https://www.saarctb.org/)
• SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC), India (https://saarc-sdmc.org/)

Specialized Bodies:

• SAARC Arbitration Council (SARCO), Pakistan (https://sarco-sec.org/)
• South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO), Bangladesh (https://sarso.org/)
• SAARC Development Fund (SDF), Bhutan (http://www.sdfsec.org/)
• South Asian University (SAU), India (https://sau.int)

9. Areas of Cooperation

SAARC has identified sixteen areas of cooperation: agriculture and rural development; biotechnology; culture; economic and trade matters; education; energy; environment; finance; funding mechanism; information communication and media; people-to-people contacts; poverty alleviation; science and technology; security aspects; social development; and tourism. These areas have been bundled into seven clusters, each led by one Director from each Member State, which include Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Natural Disasters and Biotechnology; Economic, Trade and Finance; Social Affairs; Information and Poverty Alleviation; Energy, Transport, Science and Technology and Education, Security and Culture.

10. Major Cooperation Initiatives in SAARC

Connectivity is sine qua non for regional integration in South Asia. SAARC has, therefore, accorded top priority and made concerted efforts to enhance both physical and people-to-people connectivity. The SAARC Motor Vehicles Agreement and the SAARC Regional Railways Agreement are at the stage of finalization, while the draft text of the SAARC Regional Air Services Agreement is under consideration. The implementation of these instruments is expected to facilitate seamless regional connectivity and ensure the smooth cross-border flow of goods, services, capital, technology and people.

The 18^th SAARC Summit Declaration urged relevant authorities to initiate national, regional and sub-regional measures to link South Asia with contiguous regions, including Central Asia, and beyond, through all modes of connectivity. These matters are addressed by the Meeting of SAARC Transport Ministers and the Intergovernmental Working Group on Transport. The Final Workshop on updating the SAARC Regional Multimodal Transport Study (SRMTS) was held at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, on 28-29 February 2024. The Workshop was attended by experts from the Ministries/Departments responsible for transport infrastructure as well as representatives of the Ministries of External/Foreign Affairs of the SAARC Member States.

Economic Cooperation is central to advancing regional integration in South Asia. As envisaged in the SAARC Charter, important steps have been taken to expand cooperation in key areas, especially in trade, finance, investment and economic activities. At the 18^th SAARC Summit, the Leaders reaffirmed their strong determination to deepen regional integration for peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia by intensifying cooperation, inter alia, in trade, investment, finance, energy, security, infrastructure, connectivity and culture; and by implementing projects, programmes and activities in a prioritized, result-oriented and time-bound manner. The Leaders also renewed their commitment to achieve a South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) in a phased and planned manner through a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and a Common Economic and Monetary Union.

The Committee on Economic Cooperation (CEC) composed of commerce/trade secretaries from Member States is tasked with formulating and overseeing the implementation of specific measures, policies and programs aimed at strengthening intra-regional trade and economic exchanges.

SAARC Finance Ministers" Meeting, Inter-Governmental Expert Group on Financial Issues and SAARC Public Debt Managers" Forum also works to advance economic and financial cooperation. The 8^th Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers held in Islamabad on 26 August 2016 deliberated issues highlighted in the 18^th Summit Declaration, including the roadmap towards the SAEU, and full and expeditious implementation of South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

SAARC Finance Ministers also meet informally on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The 11^th Informal Meeting, chaired by Nepal in Yokohama, Japan, on 5 May 2017, focused on “50 Years of ADB and Its Operations in SAARC Countries,” and discussed infrastructure and connectivity, economic corridors, operationalization of SATIS, and the draft SAARC Investment Agreement. The 17^th Informal Meeting was convened in Incheon, Republic of Korea on 05 May 2023 deliberating on leveraging regional cooperation for greater participation in global value chains (GVCs).

The process of promoting intra-regional trade through preferential tariff concession and improved market access was started with the signing of Agreement on SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) in 1993 and later evolved into SAFTA, signed in Islamabad in January 2004. SAFTA entered into force in January 2006 aiming for deeper trade and economic cooperation beyond preferential trading arrangements, promoting fair competition, and facilitating cross-border movement of goods.

The SAFTA Ministerial Council (SMC), comprising Trade/Commerce Ministers of Member States, serves as the highest decision-making body for the implementation of SAFTA. A Committee of Experts (CoE), consisting of representatives from Member States, provides support to the SMC on trade liberalization programmes, sensitive lists, rules of origin, and technical assistance to LDCs, among others.

To further expand intra-regional trade, Member States continue efforts to reduce sensitive lists, particularly for items of LDC interest, removing non-tariff and para-tariff barriers, and developing adequate trade infrastructures and transit facilities.

Recognizing the growth potentials in trade in services, SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS) was signed at 16^th Summit in Thimphu, Bhutan (April 2010). SATIS entered into force with effect from 29 November 2012. SATIS aims to promote trade in services among the Member States in a mutually beneficial and equitable manner, expanding intra-regional investments, and trade liberalization in key sectors such as banking, telecommunication, tourism and airline services.

A number of trade facilitation agreements and measures have been put in place under SAARC, including the SAARC Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters and the SAARC Multilateral Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation. Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments, SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement, SAARC Railway Service Agreement and SAARC Regional Air Service Agreement are also under consideration. The agreement on the establishment of SAARC Arbitration Council aims at settling trade-related disputes and the Council is already operational with headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Energy: Given high energy demand and huge energy deficit in the region, energy constitutes another important area for cooperation among SAARC Member States. The SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity) was signed in 2014 during the 18^th SAARC Summit and is currently in the process of ratification. It has opened up an avenue for energy trade in the region. Energy cooperation has the potential to transform the region"s development outlook.

Tourism: In view of its natural beauty, ancient civilization and cultural diversity, South Asia has immense potential for the development of tourism sector. A joint promotion campaign and marketing strategy is necessary to develop and promote SAARC region as a destination in international tourism market. Tourism has been featured in SAARC deliberations from the very beginning. SAARC Tourism Minister"s Meeting and Working Group on Tourism are working to formulate regional approach to tourism promotion. Nepal hosted the 2^nd SAARC Tourism Ministers" Meeting in January 2011 preceded by the 4^th Working Group Meeting. These meetings reviewed the progress made in the SAARC Action Plan on Promotion of Tourism. During the 5^th Meeting of the Working Group (New Delhi, 25-26 November 2015), the Nepali delegation presented an overview of major tourist destinations in Nepal and highlighted the impact of April 2015 earthquakes on its tourism business. The Meeting also discussed Tourism Vision 2020 and the need to develop Buddhist Circuit within SAARC. In a bid to promote people-to-people contacts, cultural cooperation and exchange of artists, Nepal hosted the SAARC Artist Camp and Exhibition in Kathmandu in July 2017. Some other programmes are also being convened along with the proposed SAARC Artist Camp and Art Exhibition.

Agriculture: Agriculture is a major contributor to the South Asian economy and the livelihood of its people, providing over 40 percent employment opportunities in the region. A large portion of South Asia"s landmass remains rural. The Leaders, during the 18^th SAARC Summit, agreed to increase investment, promote research and development, facilitate technical cooperation and apply innovative, appropriate and reliable technologies to enhance agricultural food and nutritional security. The promotion of sustainable agriculture is equally prioritized within the regional cooperation. The ratification of the SAARC Seed Bank Agreement is in the process, while the establishment of Regional Vaccine Bank and Regional Livestock Gene Bank is under consideration. The 3^rd Meeting of SAARC Agriculture Ministers held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 7 April 2016 adopted the Dhaka Statement on Agriculture and Rural Development, which emphasized operationalizing the SAARC Food Bank and SAARC Seed Bank, strengthening the research-extension system, addressing trans-boundary animal diseases, and tackling agriculture trade barriers, including the exchange of germplasms.

The 4^th Meeting of the SAARC Agriculture Ministers, held in Thimphu, Bhutan on 27 June 2019, reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen regional cooperation in agriculture and rural development to enhance food, nutrition and livelihood security. The Ministers unanimously adopted the Thimphu Statement on Agriculture and Rural Development, which outlined 19-points regional pledges and strategies to address emerging challenges in agriculture and its allied sectors.

During the 9th Meeting of SAARC Chief Veterinary Officers" (CVOs) Forum, convened in Colombo on 11 December 2025, Nepal consented to become the lead country for SAARC Laboratory Directors" Forum (SLDF).

Environment: South Asia remains highly vulnerable to environmental degradation, the adverse impacts of climate change, and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters. The 3^rd SAARC Summit, held in Kathmandu, underscored the importance of region-wide approach to environmental issues by strengthening and intensifying cooperation to preserve, protect and manage the region"s diverse and fragile ecosystems. The Summit also highlighted the need for collective action to address challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters. It commissioned a regional study on the “Consequences of Natural Disasters and the Protection and Preservation of the Environment” which was completed in 1991. The 18^th SAARC Summit directed the relevant mechanisms/bodies to ensure the effective implementation of SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters, the SAARC Convention on Environment and the Thimphu Statement on Climate Change.

The SAARC Environment Ministers" Meeting, the Technical Committee on Environment and Forestry, and the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Centre are the key mechanisms to guide and facilitate cooperation, carry out research, organize training and share information among Member States. Since 1992, nine rounds of SAARC Environment Ministers" Meetings have been held. These meetings reviewed progress and made necessary decisions to further enhance regional cooperation in environment, climate change, and disaster management. However, subsequent meetings have often been scheduled but not convened since September 2011 due to a lack of concurrence among Member States.

Poverty Alleviation: Poverty remains a formidable common challenge in South Asia, with the region is recognized as a pocket of global poverty. Since the 1^st Summit, the Leaders of SAARC have expressed a strong commitment to achieving poverty-free South Asia. At the 18^th Summit, they directed ministerial and secretary-level mechanisms on poverty alleviation to revisit the SAARC Plan of Action on Poverty Alleviation, considering the Post-2015 Development Agenda. In this context, the 1st Meeting of the Intergovernmental Expert Group on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development Goals was held on 18-19 February 2025 in Colombo, which finalized the draft Study Report on Contextualizing SDGs.

Labour Migration: A sizeable number of youths from South Asia migrate abroad for work, making the safety, security and wellbeing of migrant workers a key concern for SAARC countries. At the 18^th Summit, the Leaders agreed to collaborate on safe, orderly and responsible management of labour migration from the region. During the Summit, Nepal proposed to establish a regional mechanism to address issues concerning migrant workers. Accordingly, the SAARC Plan of Action for Cooperation on Matters related to Migration has been finalized, and the zero draft of the SAARC Declaration on Labour Migration is under consideration. The Technical Committee meeting is expected to finalize Draft SAARC Declaration on Labour Migration.

Cooperatives have significant potential in achieving inclusive, broad-based and sustainable economic growth and development in the region. In the declaration of the 18^th SAARC Summit, the Leaders called for sharing of experiences, expertise and best practices in this sector. At Nepal"s initiative, cooperatives have been included on the SAARC agenda, and Nepal prepared a Concept Note on "Cooperatives" which has been revised incorporating comments from the Member States.

Social Protection: In view of social, environmental and disaster-related challenges in the region, adequate social protection is essential. In the declaration of the 18^th SAARC Summit, the Leaders acknowledged special needs of the elderly, women, children, differently abled persons, unemployed persons, and those working at hazardous conditions. They agreed to develop and strengthen social protection measures for these groups and to share best practices in this regard.

Public Health: Cooperation in public health strengthens SAARC"s visibility of SAARC at the people"s level and provides Member States a platform to address common health challenges. The Leaders, at the 18^th Summit, recognized the importance of universal health coverage, improving health regulatory systems, preparedness for emerging and re-emerging diseases, and addressing challenges posed by anti-microbial resistance and non-communicable diseases.

The 6^th Meeting of SAARC Health Ministers, held in Colombo on 29 July 2017, adopted the Colombo Declaration, calling for accelerated progress on key regional health issues. The Meeting agreed to establish mechanisms to share experiences on developing human resources for health, ensuring accessibility, equity and quality of healthcare, and on best practices regarding non-communicable diseases, vector-borne diseases, sanitation, nutrition, climate change and disasters. It was also decided to work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the health sector through enhanced partnership and collaboration.

A SAARC Health Ministers" Video Conference was held on 24 April 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Member States shared updates on their national situations, exchanged experiences in combating the outbreak, and reiterated the importance of regional cooperation and solidarity to mitigate the unprecedented threat posed by the pandemic.

The 2^nd Meeting of the Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities, held in Kathmandu on 5-6 May 2008, deliberated on Project Concept Notes for maternal and child healthcare and immunization. The 4^th Meeting, held in New Delhi in April 2015, recommended establishing Expert Groups for Vector-Borne Diseases (Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, and others) with particular focus on malaria, creating an Expert/Consultative Group on Hepatitis, and holding annual meetings on NCDs.

In line with directives from the 12^th SAARC Summit and the SAARC Regional Strategy on HIV and AIDS, the SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors Programme was launched to bring HIV and AIDS issues to the political and public forefront. The 30^th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers (Colombo, 31 July - 1 August 2008) appointed Ms. Shabana Azmi (India) and Mr. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) as SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV and AIDS. In January 2013, three additional regional personalities - Ms. Runa Laila (Bangladesh), Shri Ajay Devgan (India), and Ms. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Pakistan) - were conferred the honorary title of SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors.

Terrorism and Transnational Crimes remain key security challenges in the SAARC region. Member States have been cooperating on security matters through regular meetings of Home/Interior Ministers, Home/Interior Secretaries, and the SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and SAARC Drug Offense Monitoring Desk (SDOMD).

At the 3^rd SAARC Summit in 1987, the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism was signed, laying the foundation for joint efforts to prevent and eliminate terrorism in the region. Subsequently, at the 12^th Summit in Islamabad in 2004, an Additional Protocol to this convention was adopted. Two other important instruments - the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters - were signed at the 5^th and 15^th SAARC Summits, respectively.

At the 13^th SAARC Summit (Dhaka, 13 November 2005), the Heads of State or Government decided that SAARC Interior/Home Ministers would meet annually, preceded by meetings of Interior/Home Secretaries. The 8^th Meeting of SAARC Interior/Home Ministers, preceded by the 8^th Meetings of SAARC Secretaries of Interior/Home and SAARC Immigration Authorities were held in Colombo on 12-13 July 2017. The Ministers highlighted actions taken at both national and regional levels to counter terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. They also unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for collective regional efforts to combat it.

SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme: To promote people-to-people contact through regional mobility, the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) has been in operation since 1992. The Scheme currently covers 24 categories of entitled persons (Group A-19, Group B- 5) including dignitaries, government officials, businessmen, sportsmen, journalists, and heads of institutions/organizations. Proposal to add new categories of entitled persons has been under consideration. During the 8^th Meeting of SAARC Immigration Authorities, held prior to the Home Ministers" Meeting in Sri Lanka, on 11 July 2017, it was also agreed to review “Guidelines and Procedures” for SVES.

Good Governance is essential for achieving sustainable development in South Asia. At the 18^th Summit, the Leaders reiterated their strong commitment to promoting accountability, transparency, the rule of law, and people"s participation at all levels of governance.

SAARC Cabinet Secretaries have met four times since 2008 to discuss professional issues such as administrative reform, procedural simplification, and the implementation of development programs in SAARC countries. The 4^th Meeting, held in Kathmandu in June 2016, focused on sharing best practices in governance and discussed a framework for collective cooperation to achieve regional prosperity and the welfare of the peoples. Back-to-back with the meeting, Nepal presented its performance-based incentive system.

Members of regional parliaments have also expressed interest in making the SAARC a more effective and people-centered organization. The International Relations and Labour Committee of the Legislature-Parliament of Nepal convened the Regional Conference on SAARC Effectiveness in Kathmandu on 29-30 September 201 which was attended by the Chairpersons of parliamentary committees dealing with SAARC affairs from all Member States.

Non-Governmental and People-to-People Relations: SAARC currently has 6 SAARC Apex bodies and 18 Recognized bodies at the non-governmental level, the renewal of whose status is pending, subject to approval by upcoming Meeting of Council of Ministers. SAARC grants the status of Apex and Recognized bodies to regional organizations to promote social, economic and cultural development in the region, in conformity with the SAARC Charter. The Standing Committee reviews the performance of the bodies and makes recommendations to the Council of Ministers regarding the renewal of their recognition. Recognition is granted for a period of five years for Apex Bodies and three years for Recognized Bodies.

11. SAARC Conventions and Agreements

12. SAARC Apex and Recognized Bodies

The SAARC Apex bodies and the SAARC Recognized bodies work in collaboration with SAARC to promote people-to-people contact in the region and to foster mutual understanding and goodwill among the peoples of South Asia. Currently, the recognition of all the Apex and Recognized Bodies has expired.

Nepal and SAARC

As one of the founding members and current Chair of SAARC, Nepal remains committed to the noble principles and purposes of SAARC Charter, striving to achieve the shared goals of regional peace, stability and prosperity. Hosting the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu since 1987 stands as a testament to Nepal"s unwavering commitments to advancing the SAARC process in mutual interests of Member States and the peoples of the region. Since the inception of this regional forum, Nepal has played a constructive role in promoting and enhancing collaboration and partnerships in the agreed areas of cooperation for the common interests and benefits of all members.

Out of 18 SAARC Summits, Nepal attended five Summits (1^st to 4^th and 13^th) at the level of the Head of State and the rest at the level of the Head of Government. Nepal successfully hosted the 3^rd, 11^th and 18^th Summits in Kathmandu in 1987, 2002 and 2014 respectively.

Nepal also hosts the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre (STAC) in Bhaktapur. Originally established as the SAARC TB Centre in 1994, it was renamed as the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre in November 2007. The Centre has been supporting the National TB Control Programs of SAARC Member States. Nepal has also contributed to SAARC leadership at the Secretariat. Mr. Yadab Kant Silwal and former Foreign Secretary Mr. Arjun Bahadur Thapa served as the fourth (1 January 1994 to 31 December 1995) and 12^th (March 2014-February 2017) Secretaries-General of SAARC, respectively.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Regional Organizations Division

As of February 2026