Nepal PM inaugurates SAARC Effectiveness Conference in Kathmandu

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Effectiveness Conference in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Parliamentarians, politicians, diplomats and journalists from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Pakistan besides Nepal will deliberate on how the effectiveness of SAARC could be enhanced at international level, reported the Himalayan Times.

Organised by the International Relations and Labour Committee under the Legislature-Parliament for the first time, some seven working papers on different five themes would be presented during the two-day event.

The conclusion drawn by the conference will be presented at the forthcoming SAARC Summit.

Nepal had chaired the regional body from the 18th SAARC Summit which was organised in Kathmandu in 2014. The 19th SAARC Summit is to be held in Islamabad of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the 19th Summit stands apparently cancelled after India and three other member-countries - Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh - informed the SAARC Chair, Nepal, their unwillingness to attend the summit that was scheduled for November 9-10 in Islamabad, citing Pakistan's role in exporting terrorism.

On Wedneday, the Nepal Government had urged that a conducive environment be created soon to ensure participation of all member states in the Summit.