Photo: SAARC

DHAKA, Nov 26, 2025 (BSS) - The sixty-first session of the Programming 
Committee of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) 
commenced today on a virtual platform.

The meeting brings together senior officials from the eight Member States, as 
well as heads of SAARC Specialized Bodies, Regional Centres and senior 
officials from the Secretariat, said a press release. 

The session is being held under the chairmanship of Nepal and attended by the 
National Focal Points of all SAARC Member States, including joint secretaries 
and director generals from the Ministries of Foreign or External Affairs of 
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The session was formally opened by Kiran Shakya, Joint Secretary of Nepal's 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson of the Committee.

In his opening remarks, he warmly welcomed the participants and underscored 
SAARC's enduring importance as the region's premier platform for dialogue, 
collaboration and collective action.

Kiran Shakya said that the gathering serves as a reminder that SAARC remains 
a vital mechanism for addressing shared challenges and harnessing emerging 
opportunities across South Asia.

To remain effective and relevant, he emphasized, the organization must 
continue to evolve, strengthen its institutions and ensure that its 
activities result in tangible benefits for the peoples of the region.

Speaking at the session, SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Md Golam Sarwar 
thanked the Member States for their continued support. 

Highlighting the central role of the Programming Committee as a key Charter 
Body of the organization, he reiterated SAARC's founding belief that 
collective action enables South Asian nations to achieve far more together 
than individually.

Ambassador Sarwar noted that SAARC will soon commemorate the 40th anniversary 
of the adoption of its Charter-an occasion of both a moment of pride and a 
time for reflection on the organization's achievements, challenges and its 
path forward.

During the session, the Committee will review and finalize the budgets and 
calendars of activities of SAARC Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres for 
the year 2026.