The eight-member SAARC grouping today signed a MoU with a Bangladesh-based intergovernmental agency to foster collaboration between the two organisations in areas like rural development and women empowerment.
Secretary-General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Arjun B Thapa and Director- General of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific Dr Cecep Effendi signed the MoU amidst a function at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, according to a statement issued by the SAARC Secretariat.
"MoU signed stands to open up a vista of opportunities for the organistaions to complement each others efforts in rural development and implement joint efforts," the statement said.
"Perspective areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU include: rural development and women empowerment through agro- processing, promoting inter-regional trade in agricultural products, adopting techniques of climate smart agriculture, generating user friendly database on rural statistics," it said.
"Establishing a virtual and multi-stakeholder supported Rural Development Information System, formulating and implementing strategic Action Plan for rural development in the region and adopting an Integrated Rural Development Policy for South Asia," the statement said.
SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while CIRDAP consists of six SAARC countries (except Bhutan and the Maldives) and well as Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
CIRDAP was established in Dhaka in 1979 to assist its members in national crisis promote regional cooperation, and act as a servicing institution for the promotion of integrated rural development in the Asia Pacific region.
