Interaction on 18th SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu

Social Organization For Poverty Alleviation Nepal (SOPAN) organized an “Interaction Program on agenda on Poverty Alleviation of18th SAARC Summit" on the occasion of International Human Right Day 2014 and HR National Magna Meet in 10th December 2014 at Center for Peace Security and Justice (CPSJ). The event was organized in collaboration with South Asian Youth Society (SAYS) , The Bangladesh Today and Youth Advocacy Nepal where a number of professors and experts appeared from the Tribhuvan University and other Nepali and International organizations .The Program was moderated by Mr.Bikash Thapa and rapported by Ms. Kripa Sigdel on behalf of SOPAN and chief guest speaker was Prof.Dr .R.K Shah from CEDECON, Tribhuwan University, and other speakers Mr. Pitambar Bhandari Bhandari, PhD Scholar, Acting Coordinator from Central Department of Peace Studies, Tribhuwan University ,Krishna Gahatraj from Youth Advocacy Nepal and Rakibul Hassan, Sub -Editor of Bangladesh Today and Head of Social Media Affairs of South Asian Youth Society. The Program was Divided into 4 round Introduction and Presentation round, question and answer round and Information sharing and session wrap up round. Program was formally wrap up by Mr,Gopi Aryal, president of SOPAN by illustrating role of SAARC in Poverty alleviation in SAARC countries and objective of SOPAN to organize interaction program and endeavors of SOPAN up to now.

In the interaction program Initially, guest speaker Pitambar Bhandari,PhD Scholar focused on importance of strengthening inter-linkage between SAARC and UN and setting standard collaboration strategies between SAARC countries in both ground and policy level to reach Millennium Development Goal, stopping migration of youth and hence alleviate the poverty from SAARC region. Likewise, Krishna Gahatraj, Vice President of Youth Advocacy Nepal gave emphasis to agendas of SAARC should include perspective from the under previlaged and deprived people, and person with disability and people want sustainable development goals rather then millenium development goals.Then, chief key guest speaker Prof. Dr .R.K Shah elaborated overall agenda of 18th SAARC Summit focusing on poverty alleviation. During, elaboration he talked about need of being hopeful hopeful about poverty alleviation besides doubts, challenges and fear, further he stressed that SAARC summit is tool in itself for the povety allieviation and reduction which in not applied full fledged and properly, He strongly told suggest to established good governance and end impunity which is always a barrier to deveopment and poverty alleviation in all SAARC countries.

To talk about Nepal it's GDP is 17 trillion out of which 40% money is black money and it affects good governence. So, need to be more transparent and politically stable to reach the targeted goals.As a mitigating measures he also suggest since All SAARC countries should adopt poicy of borderless country to promote open tourism and trade plan .This will benefit country like Nepal where tourism industry only has the propects of raising 33 trillion Dollars further it will be milestone in poverty alleviation for Nepal and other SAARC countries with mid-economy .Likewise, SAARC should take the lead to mitigate load shedding problem by connecting all SAARC countries through energy and road.Next Guest speaker Rakibul Hassan who reprsents collaborating partner from Bangladesh Today and South Asian Society focussed on increasing youth engagegement at SAARC level ,initiate different exchange program in between SAARC countries.Moreover, he told both Bangladesh and Nepal have similar types of experiences in solving issues of conflict at national level.These experiences gained by two countries should be exchange to each other including other SAARC countries through medium of youth for awareness and politician for sensitization at SAARC level .In between Journalist should be more proactive interms of manipulation and portraying of issues for development of SAARC region and establishing good communication and transferring information related with it publicly.

On the whole, the during interaction program speakers focuses on reviewing SAARC policy agreement and it's achievement periodically connecting SAARC countries with road energy for development. Likewise, speakers also focused on assessing needs of underprevileged and poor people including person with disability for alleviating poverty and related issues, increasing youth engagement program at SAARC level and creating environment to share experience of conflict managerial skill and economic stabilization strategy of All SAARC countries,essence of journalist being more proactive for to address the issues of SAARC level in a deeper level and provide information to public of SAARC countries.

There were also some recommendation from participants

Agenda of SAARC should be openly discussed as other general agenda both in inter and intra level between SAARC countries

There is needed of promoting youth engagement to educate about SAARC and their importance of involvement in SAARC level

This type of discussion should be launched as a campaign through virtual media and more interactions should be organized in future to make impact at SAARC level.

Above all these discussed points replicate the issues and agenda included at previous 18th SAARC Summit to some extent and focusing currently concluded 18th SAARC Summit which has tried to give insight and open space for further discussion and discourse at national to SAARC level.

Bikash Thapa