Updated on
Summary
The 16th SAARC Summit concluded on Thursday with adoption of the joint declaration and Thimphu Statement on climate change for development in the region. It also include improving inter-connectivity, promoting people-to-people contacts and to evolve joint strategy for resolving the issues of water shortage, environment and food shortage. A beautiful ceremony of flag hoisting of member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was held outside the Assembly Hall where the 16th summit was held before the concluding session. All the eight leaders of the SAARC members and observers, especially participated in the flag hosting ceremony held outside the hall where the weather was very pleasant. All the leaders also witnessed the art and craft work of the SAARC Business Association of Home Based Workers (SABAH), especially arranged in the lobby of the Assembly Hall. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and his wife along with other leaders of the SAARC and their wives went around different sections of the exhibition and highly appreciated the displayed art and craft work. All the leaders mixed up with each other on this occasion and appreciated the art work of each country displayed at the exhibition. Prime Minister Gilani and Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh were together during this exhibition and even exchanged pleasantries. Art work by artists from SAARC member states including Pakistan on the issue of climate change was also displayed in the exhibition which was highly appreciated by all the leaders. All the leaders took keen interest in the art work displayed in the exhibition. Later, the leaders approved the Thimphu Declaration giving a new vision to the organization to join hands for alleviating poverty, improving development, finding solution to power and water shortage.The foreign ministers of all the SAARC member states then signed the Bilateral Trade and Services Agreement and from Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi signed it. Later, it was decided that next 17th SAARC will be held in Maldives. Then the leaders of the SAARC summit adopted Thimphu Statement of Climate Change and joint declaration of the 16th SAARC Summit that has already been approved by the Ministerial Meeting of the member states. The Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigme Thinley thanked the leaders of the SAARC Summit for coming here to attend the summit.
