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Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Md. Golam Sarwar visited the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) and the South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) in Dhaka on Tuesday, calling for stronger regional cooperation, greater ownership by member states and more effective programmes to address common challenges in South Asia.
Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (Agriculture, Rural Development and SAARC Development Fund) at the SAARC Secretariat, accompanied the secretary general during the visits. Directors and officials of both institutions welcomed him.
During the visits, the two institutions briefed the SAARC chief on their ongoing activities, major achievements, regional programmes, partnerships and future plans.
The visits also provided an opportunity to exchange views on ways to strengthen the role and effectiveness of SAARC specialised bodies and regional centres in advancing regional cooperation.
Sarwar appreciated the contributions of SAC and SARSO to regional cooperation and called for stronger engagement with SAARC member states.
He stressed the need for proactive measures to enhance the participation and ownership of member states in regional programmes, saying the activities of the specialised bodies and regional centres should remain closely aligned with regional priorities and the emerging needs of member countries.
The secretary general also called for expanded cooperation with development partners, international organisations, technical agencies and other stakeholders.
He said the institutions should make greater use of partnerships and technical expertise to expand the scope and impact of their programmes.
Such partnerships, he noted, could help make regional initiatives more effective, practical and result-oriented.
Sarwar underscored capacity development as a key area of regional cooperation and called for tailored, needs-based capacity-building programmes that take into account the specific requirements of individual member states.
He said such programmes should be practical and demand-driven so that member states can directly benefit from them while addressing common challenges facing the region.
The SAARC chief also called for stronger networking, knowledge-sharing and technical cooperation among member states.
He emphasised the need to identify new areas of collaboration that could contribute to deeper regional integration, greater resilience and sustainable development across South Asia.
During the visits, the participants reaffirmed the importance of making SAARC specialised bodies and regional centres more effective platforms for translating regional priorities into concrete programmes and strengthening cooperation among member states.
The secretary general also unveiled the latest publication of the SAARC Agriculture Centre, titled “Promotion of Regenerative Agriculture in SAARC Member States.”
The publication highlights the importance of regenerative agricultural practices in promoting sustainable farming and addressing emerging challenges facing agriculture in the region.
The visits are expected to strengthen coordination between the SAARC Secretariat and its specialised institutions and help align their programmes more closely with the priorities and needs of member states.