Member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should work together to overcome challenges confronting the regional grouping and revive its role as a platform for cooperation, SAARC Secretary General Golam Sarwar said. Addressing a forum on “Reigni…
Member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should work together to overcome challenges confronting the regional grouping and revive its role as a platform for cooperation, SAARC Secretary General Golam Sarwar said. Addressing a forum on “Reigniting SAARC: Achievement, Challenges and Way Forward,” organised by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) in Colombo, Sarwar said there remained significant opportunities for regional unity to regain prominence. While immediate bilateral concerns often required the attention of member states, he said there was growing momentum among regional leaders to keep broader cooperation at the centre of discussions. “When member nations champion this collective vision together, they can successfully elevate the dialogue around shared progress, ensuring that deep, meaningful regional integration remains a vibrant and lasting priority for all,” he said. The forum, held to examine the current status and future prospects of SAARC and regional cooperation in South Asia, was attended by diplomats, academics, policy experts and media personnel. Sarwar, who is currently visiting Sri Lanka, highlighted SAARC’s contributions over nearly four decades, describing the organisation as an “irreplaceable beacon of hope” for the region’s two billion people. He outlined the work of specialised SAARC centres, including the SAARC Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka, which he said served as an important hub of technical expertise promoting practical, grassroots approaches to regional challenges. The Secretary General said the establishment of the South Asian University (SAU) represented a powerful example of the spirit of “knowledge without borders”. He also pointed to functional-level cooperation among member states, including a recent ministerial conference held in Colombo, as evidence of continued engagement despite challenges facing the organisation. Describing SAARC as the region’s premier mechanism for cooperation, Sarwar called on member states to unite in building a “much stronger, more empowered and thoroughly revitalised SAARC”. The discussion that followed featured contributions from former SAARC Secretary General Esala Weerakoon, Gamani Keerawella, SAARC Secretariat Director Waruna Wilpatha, Foreign Ministry Director General (South Asia) and former SAARC Secretariat Director Varuni Muthukumarana, and SAARC Cultural Centre Director Kaushalya Kumarasinghe, among others.