The fourth SAARC Business Leaders Conclave (SBLC) with its theme "Peace and Prosperity through Regional Connectivity" was held on September 20-22, 2011 at Kathmandu, Nepal. This Conclave was organized by SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI) in collaboration with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Nepal (FCCISL) and National Federations/ Chambers of SAARC member nations and was supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) & The World Bank Group - as the knowledge Partner.
The Conclave aimed at providing policy recommendations for the SAARC Summit scheduled in November 2011 in Male, Maldives for promotion of economic activities in SAARC to policy makers at the highest level.
The Conclave witnessed the congregation of large business delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Over 500 leading business leaders and eminent International experts, Academia, Media and social scientists from across the region deliberated for two days on various pertinent issues of regional economic cooperation.
The Conclave was inaugurated by Rt. Hon'ble Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President of Nepal. The Conclave was addressed by Hon'ble Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Ex-Prime Minister; Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Mr Annisul Huq, President, SAARC CCI delivered keynote address at the inaugural session. It was also addressed by Hon'ble Mr. Sarat Singh Bhandari, Minister of Defense, Government of Nepal also former Commerce Minister and Minister for Tourism, Dr. Hasan Mahmud, MP, Hon'ble Minister of Environment and Forest, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Mr. Sartaj Aziz, former Finance & Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Madhukar SJB Rana, former Finance Minister of Nepal.
Senior officials from Members States addressed the issues like generating political will for regional integration of South Asia, some contemporary issues like Water, Energy, Climate Change and Food Security, Tourism, cultural exchange and media, trade and investment. The Conclave organized specials sessions on Women Economic empowerment and Young Entrepreneurs in South Asia, while recommending the Governments of South Asia to provide business enabling environment to foster the process of regional integration.
The fourth SAARC Business Leaders Conclave adopted the following Policy Reform Agenda with a consensus:
1. The Conclave representing the entire private sector through the National Federations of each 8 Countries unanimously adopted to emphasize on the Governments of the Member Countries to engage seriously on regional connectivity to achieve "Peace and Prosperity" in the region and further requested to take appropriate urgent measures to implement the action plan envisioned under the doctrine " 2010-2020 as decade of Regional Connectivity"
2. The connectivity encompasses physical connectivity like connectivity through road, rail, air and sea/river, communication, connectivity trough exchange of people, connectivity through cooperation in the area of tourism, health, culture, education, and connectivity through mind and heart.
3. The Conclave deliberated on generating political will for regional economic integration, and recommended resolution of core issues through bold initiatives and exhibiting greater political will to augment socio- economic cooperation in the region;
4. The Conclave urges for full utilization of benefits of geographical proximity, land/ sea/river cognitively for massive expansion of trade and intra-investment. The Conclave further emphasized upon implementation of Trade Facilitation Mechanism as urgent necessity to promote intra-regional trade and demands for creation and up gradation of infrastructure of international standard and scale, cooperation in energy and proposes signing/implementation of SAARC Transit Agreement, shipment agreement, Logistics Agreements. ICT Agreement to make SAFTA a workable expeditiously mechanism, leading to Customs Union.
5. Realizing enormous potential in trade and investment in the region, the business community recommends signing of Regional Investment Treaty and up-gradation of SAFTA into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement for the Region.
6. The Conclave recognized Water, Energy, Climate Change and Food Security as the priority concerns and pledges for adoption of necessary collective measures to address these challenges and urgent implementation of Regional Environment Treaty; activation of SAARC Food Bank and proposed setting up SAARC Disaster Management Institute to minimize the impact of natural calamities and climate changes
7. To foster socio-cultural ties in South Asia, the Conclave recommends the Governments to take appropriate measures to augment cooperation in Tourism, Media and cultural exchanges;
8. The conclave focused on economic empowerment of the women in South Asia and recommends to the Governments to take proactive initiatives to encourage and promote women entrepreneurs and young business leaders for sustainable economic cooperation
9. To foster the process of regional cooperation in South Asia, the Conclave urged for immediate and adequate measures for the following:
>> Harmonization of customs procedures and mutual recognition of Standards and Certifications
>> Finalize and expeditiously implement Regional Motor Vehicle Transport Agreement.
>> Truly implement Open Sky policy in the region - linking not only directs flights between capitals but to all other major cities
>> The Conclave strongly recommends a common SAARC Energy policy and identify and implement power production units with definite plan and intension for trans border transmission and trade in energy
>> The Conclave regretted retrospective step in the matter of issuance of Visa and strongly recommended issuance of SAARC Visa Exemption Stickers (SVES) from 100 to 500 for each member country and to increase the period from one year to two year. The Conclave further recommends relaxation in rules for issuance of Visa Multiple Visa for business purposes to all bona-fide members recommended by national Federations.
>> The Conclave recommends allowing not only broadcasting of TV Channels (Government and Private) of all SAARC Countries in the entire region; allow content sharing and co-production in entertainment sector but also to encourage joint sector project in ITES sector.
>> The Conclave recommends formation of South Asian Integration and Promotional Agency, protecting/ promoting SAARC common Cultural Heritage
In order to deepen this process, it was decided to hold the next SAARC Business Leaders Conclave in 2012.
