By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 9: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba stressed the need to drive the SAARC process with a forward-looking perspective and revitalize it including through an early convening of the 19th Summit.
Extending greetings to the peoples and governments of the member states on the occasion of the 37th SAARC Charter Day, the Prime Minister said an embodiment of common aspirations for peace, stability and prosperity, the Charter was a blueprint of regional cooperation and partnership.

Over the period of three decades and a half, the regional efforts aimed at promoting the welfare of our peoples have yielded some notable progress, said Prime Minister Deuba adding, “However, the Charter objectives and aspirations are far from being fully realized.”
“Our endeavours to promote regional harmony, end poverty and inequality, and build just and inclusive societies are yet to gather requisite strength,” he added.

The Prime Minister referred to the challenges and vulnerabilities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and underlined the need to re-embrace regional understanding and solidarity, with a focus on resilient recovery and building back better.
“We must strive towards deeper regional integration with a focus on resilient recovery and building back better,” the Prime Minister said.

He also reiterated Nepal’s commitment to playing a constructive role in enabling the organisation to deliver wider benefits for the peoples of the region and urged the Member States to promote more effective and result-oriented SAARC grounded in cooperation, trust and understanding.

Home to over one-fifth of humanity, South Asia is a region of immense potentials common values and socio-cultural affinities, the Prime Minister said, adding, “In order to unlock these potentials, we must muster political will and drive the regional process with a forward-looking perspective.”