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PM'sspeechatthe18thSAARCSummit

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November26,2014

YourExcellency,PrimeMinisterofNepalandChairpersonofSAARC,

Excellencies,theHeadsofStatesandGovernmentsofSAARCMemberStatesandHeadsoftheObserverdelegations,

DistinguishedSecretaryGeneral,

Excellencies,LadiesandGentlemen,

ItisamatterofimmensepleasureformetobeamongmyeminentcolleaguesfromSouthAsiaandotherfriendlystates,atthe18thSummitof
theSouthAsianAssociationforRegionalCooperation,inthisbeautifulcityofKathmandu.

Nepal,needlesstoemphasise,ishometoanoldcivilization,andhastheworldshighestmountain,themightyEverest,whichhasheldan
abidingfascinationforloversofnature.

IcongratulatetheGovernmentofNepalforsuccessfullyholdingtheSAARCSummit.Onbehalfofmydelegationandonmyownbehalf,Iwish
toexpressourprofoundgratitudetoHisExcellency,theRightHonourablePrimeMinisterSushilKoirala,hisGovernmentandthepeopleof
Nepal,formakingexcellentarrangementsfortheSummitandfortheirwarmwelcomeandhospitality.

Icongratulateyou,Mr.PrimeMinister,ontheassumptionoftheChairoftheSAARCSummit.Pakistanstandswithyouinyourendeavoursto
promotethecauseofregionalcooperationinSouthAsia.

MayIalsotakethisopportunitytoacknowledgethePresidentofMaldives,HisExcellencyMr.AbdullaYameen,fortheoutstandingleadership
hiscountryhasprovidedtotheSAARCprocess,sincethelastSummitheldinMaldivesin2011.IalsowishtothanktheSecretaryGeneral,
HisExcellencyMr.ArjunBahadurThapaandhisteam,fortheireffortstowardspreparationofthisSummitandinpromotingtheSAARC
Agenda.

Excellencies,

FromthepeopleofPakistantothepeopleoftheSAARCregion,Ibringwarmgreetingsandsentimentsofgoodwillandfriendship.
Excellencies,

PakistanattacheshighimportancetoSAARC.Theorganisationhascometoepitomizethehopesandaspirationsofthepeoplesofour
region,forpeace,progressandprosperity.

Ifwelookataregionwhichishometonearlyonequarterofhumanityontheplanet,itismiredinpoverty,diseaseandilliteracy,withlowest
humanandsocialindicators.Morethanonefifthofthepopulationisbetween1524yearsofage,whichisthelargestnumberofyouthtoever
maketransitionintoadulthood.Theregion,however,accountsforonly6percentofworldGDPinpurchasingpowerparity,andonly4percent
shareinworldtrade,whileattractingonly3percentofglobalFDI.Weareoneoftheleastintegratedregionsintheworld.

Thethemeselectedforthe18thSAARCSummitisimportant.ThefocusonDeeperIntegrationforPeaceandProsperityismostappropriate
andreflectsourcommondesireforpromotingmutualunderstandingandreachingouttoeachother,tocreateawinwinscenario.

Theculturalaffinityamongourpeoplesisahugeasset.Sharedgeographyandhistoryhaveculminatedinauniquesynthesisofculturesand
traditions.Wemusttherefore,placeourpeopleatthecentreoftheSAARCprocesses.SAARCmustcapturetheimaginationofourpeoples
andcontributetocreatingstrongandmutuallybeneficialbonds.

SAARCcancontributeimmenselytowardsbuildingatrustsurplusamongmemberstates.Interfaithandinterculturalharmonymustfind
specialemphasisinitsprogrammes.AninteractiveprocessinthisdomainwillrevealthebeautyandstrengthofatrueSouthAsianidentity.

Weshouldbuildonourinherentstrengthsandeffectivelyaddresscommonissues,suchassocioeconomicdisparities,povertyalleviation,
womenempowerment,health,andeducation.Thisrequiresclosecoordinationatnationalandregionallevels.

Excellencies,Ladies&Gentlemen,

R03IamhappytonotethattodaysSouthAsiahasundergoneademocratictransformation.AllSouthAsianstatesarevibrantdemocracies.
WeearnestlyhopethatoldandnewdemocraciesinSouthAsiawilljoinhandstomakeourregionpeacefulandprosperous.R03Wemust

strengthenregionalcooperationthroughsharingofexperiences,bestpracticesandestablishinginstitutionallinkages.
TherecentmonsoonfloodsinSouthAsiancountriesraisedtheimportanceofregionalcooperationoncrossborderinformationsharing,and
earlyfloodforecastingsystems,ashumaninducedandnaturaldisastersaffecteverybody,irrespectiveofnationalboundariesandsocio
economicstatus.

R03TheGovernmentofPakistanhasrecentlylaunchedPakistanVision2025,whichputspeoplefirstinourdevelopmentequationthrough
prioritisinghumanandsocialcapital,promotingsustainable&inclusivegrowth,andbalanceddevelopment.

InpursuingtheSAARCsocioeconomicagenda,wemustpayspecialattentiontoruraldevelopment,expansionoftheagriculturalresource
base,developmentofactionplanstocombatcommunicablediseases,promotionofgreatercollaborationinthehealthsector,eliminationof
illiteracy,scientificandtechnologicalcapacitybuildinganddevelopmentofinformationandcommunicationtechnologies.

Excellencies,

TheeconomicdevelopmentofSouthAsiaiscloselylinkedtotheavailabilityofenergyatanaffordableprice.Withabundantalternateenergy
resourcesavailableregionwide,weneedtocollectivelyfocusonharnessingindigenousenergyproductionpotential.Weshouldalsoconsider
arrangementsfortransregionaloilandgaspipelines.

ByvirtueofitsgeographiclocationattheconfluenceofSouthAsia,WestAsiaandCentralAsia,Pakistanisanaturaleconomiccorridorfor
theregion.Promotingregionalconnectivityisoneofthesevenpillarsinourdevelopmentstrategy.Mygovernmentisactivelypursuingthis
initiativewhichhasthepotentialtointegrateSouthAsia,China,andCentralAsia,thethreeenginesofgrowthinAsia.Asoftvisaregimewould
greatlyfacilitatetherealisationoftheseobjectives.
R03
R03IalsowishtoemphasizetheimportanceoftheroleoftheSAARCObservers.SAARCcanbenefitfromitsinteractionwiththem.

Excellencies,
R03
ThegapbetweenthepromiseofSAARCandrealityofitsaccomplishmentsneedstobebridged.Weshouldbuildonconvergences,minimize
divergencesandmostofall,seektoaugmentcomplementaritiesforthegreatergoodofthepeopleofthisregion.

MyvisionforourregionisadisputefreeSouthAsia,whereinsteadoffightingeachother,wejointlyfightpoverty,illiteracy,disease,
malnourishment,andunemployment.Weinvestinouryouthtounleashtheircreativity,talent,andenterprise.Westrengthenourbondsof
trustsothatwecansolveourproblems.

Havinghostedthe4thand12thSAARCSummits,Pakistanwillbepleasedtoofferitselftohostthe19thSAARCSummitinIslamabad.

IwishthisSummiteverysuccess.

ThankYou!

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