“Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC”.

(July 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Second Meeting of SAARC Ministers of Transport chaired by Minister of Transport Dullas Alahapperuma was held at the Colombo Hilton on 25 July with the participation of all Member States of SAARC. The Ministerial Meeting was preceded by a meeting of the SAARC Inter-Governmental Group on Transport chaired by Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Tilak Collure.

Sri Lanka’s decision to host this meeting was in the context of reiteration by the leaders of SAARC at the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo in August 2008, of the critical importance of an efficient multimodal transport system in the region for integration and for sustaining the region’s economic growth and competitiveness.

The inaugural session of the Ministerial Meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Chairperson of the SAARC Council of Ministers Rohitha Bogollagama, signifying the importance accorded by Sri Lanka and the SAARC Council of Ministers to the process of enhancing intra-regional connectivity. Addressing the Inauguration Ceremony, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma emphasized that strengthened connectivity and seamless passage for peoples of the region would lead to enhanced trade and greater intra-regional people-to-people contact. He added that it would also contribute to realization of a more integrated region, and assist in finding common solutions to regional problems. Stressing the vital role of SAARC Transport Ministers in providing impetus and direction to expedite the achievement of a better connected South Asia, the Minister stated that it is necessary to work on initiating direct flights between SAARC countries and remove bottlenecks in trans-border movement of goods through land. He further stressed the urgent need to strengthen infrastructure including roads, railways, maritime as well as air transport.

Delivering a Message from the Secretary General of SAARC, Director of the SAARC Secretariat Vinay Kwatra mentioned that in addition to removing infrastructural bottlenecks to stronger intra-regional connectivity, it is also important to establish legally applicable and enforceable norms and Agreements to ensure smooth trade, transit and movement of motor vehicles and development of regional rail networks in the region.

The Ministers reviewed progress in decisions taken at the first ministerial meeting in 2007; considered progress in the implementation of the prioritized recommendations of the SAARC Regional Multimodal Transport Study; deliberated on the various pilot, sub-regional and regional projects proposed; and emphasized the need to operationalize the Infrastructure Window of the SAARC Development Fund for implementing important projects.

The Ministers discussed in detail, matters relating to developing draft regional transport, transit and railway agreements, and decided to constitute an Expert Group to negotiate such agreements in a time bound manner. The SAARC Secretariat was requested in this regard to continue to cooperate with the relevant international organizations including the Asian Development Bank.

Delegations from Member States made several important announcements regarding steps that will be taken to enhance connectivity in the region. Among such announcements was the readiness expressed by the delegation of India led by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, R.P.N. Singh, to commence a ferry service between Colombo and Chochin.

The Ministers also agreed to recommend to the SAARC Council of Ministers to declare the next decade as the “Decade of Intra-regional Connectivity in SAARC”.

-Sri Lanka Guardian