Diplomatic observers say that SAARC may regain some much-needed momentum after years of stagnation if the commitments made in this session translate into action, through well-funded regional programmes, active specialised bodies and effective collaboration.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) officially began its 61st session of its programming committee on Wednesday, convened in virtual format. Senior officials from all member states, heads of SAARC specialized bodies and regional centres, as well as representatives from the SAARC secretariat attended the meeting.
The session was formally opened by Kiran Shakya, joint secretary at Nepal’s ministry of foreign affairs and chairperson of the programming committee, who emphasised that SAARC remains “a vital regional mechanism for addressing our shared challenges and harnessing the vast opportunities before us.” He urged the organisation to continue evolving, strengthen its institutions, and ensure its initiatives translate into tangible benefits for the peoples of South Asia.
At the session, Md. Golam Sarwar, secretary general of SAARC, expressed gratitude to member states for their continued support, underscoring the central role of the programming committee as a vital charter body of the regional grouping. He recalled that the 40th anniversary of the adoption of SAARC’s charter was approaching – a symbolic moment to reflect on the organisation’s achievements, challenges and future direction.
Setting Course for 2026
During the 61st session, the committee’s main task is to review and finalise the budgets, along with the calendars of activities, of SAARC’s specialized bodies and regional centres for 2026.
Sources said that by confirming next year’s financial plans and programme calendar, the meeting aims to reinvigorate institutional activity at SAARC after years of limited high-level summits. Observers say that charting a clear budgetary and programmatic roadmap for 2026 is crucial for targeting cooperation in priority areas such as trade, connectivity, health, education, and regional security – areas long envisioned in SAARC’s founding principles.
Broader Significance: SAARC Amid Regional Challenges
Sources said that the convening of this session underlines Nepal’s ongoing commitment to reviving SAARC’s core mechanisms, even as political tensions and diplomatic gridlocks have long stalled full-scale summits.
According to previous records of the programming committee – for instance in its 59th and 60th sessions – the body plays a central role in reviewing project proposals, approving budgets, and setting the inter-governmental agenda for regional cooperation.
The renewal of SAARC’s institutional activity becomes all the more relevant in light of growing regional challenges: economic slowdown, climate vulnerabilities, health crises, and the need for integrated development strategies. As the secretary general noted, the upcoming 40th charter day offers a moment not only of celebration but of reflection on whether SAARC can adapt and deliver in today’s complex regional environment.
Diplomatic observers say that SAARC may regain some much-needed momentum after years of stagnation if the commitments made in this session translate into action, through well-funded regional programmes, active specialised bodies and effective collaboration.
