Challenges of SAARC
- In terms of regional integration, SAARC has not been able to make much progress. It is as a result of the member states’ lack of political will. Making choices and moving forward has been challenging because many member states have been reluctant to give up sovereignty or make concessions on crucial issues.
- The long-standing bilateral disputes between some of SAARC’s member states have been one of its biggest obstacles. For instance, the relationship between India and Pakistan has been tense for many years. Their involvement in SAARC has been affected. Other member states, like Bangladesh and Myanmar and India, and Nepal, have also experienced tensions over issues like border disputes and water sharing.
- Different SAARC members have developed their economies to different degrees. The establishment of fair conditions for regional economic cooperation has become difficult. While Bhutan and Nepal are relatively small and less developed, countries like India have large economies and sizable markets.
- Geopolitical factors, such as the influence of outside powers in the area, have also had an impact on SAARC. As an illustration, China has recently increased its presence in South Asia, which has caused some member states to worry about Beijing’s intentions and influence.
SAARC Full Form
The full form of SAARC is South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, it is an intergovernmental body of South Asia. It was founded in Dhaka on December 8th, in the year 1985, almost 38 years ago. The SAARC secretariat is located in Kathmandu in the capital city of Nepal. This organization encourages regional integration as well as economic growth among its member nations. It established the South Asian Free Trade Area in 2006 to serve this purpose. SAARC maintains diplomatic ties with the UN in its capacity as an observer. It has also strengthened ties between multilateral organizations and the European Union.
SAARC has eight member states. They are: Nepal, Afghanistan(2005), Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Besides this SAARC has nine observer countries, such as: Australia, China, European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, United States.