Kathmandu, Dec 8 (PTI) Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Sunday called for revitalizing the stalled SAARC process to promote shared interest and prosperity of the people in the region.
In a message on the occasion of the 40th Charter Day of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Oli extended warm greetings and cordial felicitation to the governments and people of the member states of the SAARC.
Oli also underscored SAARC's prominent role in fostering mutual trust, understanding and cooperation among member states and expressed firm commitments of Nepal - current SAARC Chair - to its Charters for building a peaceful, prosperous and integrated South Asia, according to a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Highlighting persisting socioeconomic and environmental challenges, including climate change and transnational organised crimes, Prime Minister Oli called for revitalizing the SAARC process to promote shared interest and prosperity of the people in the region.
SAARC has not been very effective since 2016 as its biennial summits have not taken place since the last one in Kathmandu in 2014.
The 2016 SAARC summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to "prevailing circumstances".
The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet.
SAARC summits are usually held biennially and hosted by member states in alphabetical order. The member state hosting the summit assumes the Chair of the Association.
In a separate message, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba extended best wishes to the governments and the people of SAARC countries on this special occasion.
Rana acknowledged the vision of founding leaders and the importance of the SAARC Charter in promoting collective self-reliance, improving the quality of life of people and fostering regional solidarity to address multiple challenges faced by the member states.