CHANDIGARH, Sept 7: Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today called for putting aside differences among the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to reap greater demographic dividends not only in political terms but also to strengthen the economy as well.
Addressing the SAARC Diploma Engineers Conference here, Mr Tewari said India had always performed its role in fostering regional cooperation between South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia and it will continue to do so in future.
South Asia, he pointed out, was home to the two-fifth of the humanity with immense human resource. “While this presents a challenge, at the same time it provides an opportunity to reap the demographic dividend particularly in comparison to the aging populations around the world.”
He said ever since the SAARC was founded in 1985 its growth may have been gradual but it has been steady at the same time and has enhanced cooperation among the member countries. He cited the example of other regional associations, particularly the emergence of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) “as the best template of regional cooperation’
In a similar way, he remarked, SAARC, the platform of South Asia where the countries of the region while maintaining their individual identity have carved out a strong regional identity, he added.
Alluding to the hoary past and convoluted legacy of South Asia, Mr Tewari asserted that common challenges of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and infrastructure development can be overcome with collective efforts.
He said SAARC had the responsibility to ensure that both its extremities Afghanistan in the West and Myanmar in the East are stabilised. He said while foreign forces were moving out of Afghanistan and the country was progressing towards normalcy, in Myanmar also the green shoots of democracy were becoming visible.
Mr Tewari said Asia is an amalgam of sub regions including West Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, South East Asia and North Asia which had their own diverse sets of challenges. Emerging from the yoke of imperialism post World War II and the ravages of the Cold War, the Asian nations set about building their collective and individual identities, the I&B Minister added.
He said the first move in this direction was made way back in 1946 by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who set up the Asian Relations Conference to foster intra-regional cooperation.
Congratulating the SAARC Diploma Engineers Forum for organising
the event at Chandigarh, Mr Tewari hoped it will help and ensure in building up the technical linkages among the member countries which are important for building and developing infrastructure.
Among others present on the occasion were Kumarawady Ariyawansa, Chairman Apex Body of SAARC Diploma Engineers Forum, Mohd Shamsur Rehman, Secretary General of the form, AKMA Hamid, Satnam Dhanoa, Laxman Bahadur Rayomajhi, all co-chairmen of the forum.
(UNI)
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