The Thirty-sixth Session of the SAARC Programming Committee, chaired by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Prasad Kariyawasam, was held at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu on 10^th and 11^th August 2009.

The Meeting was attended by representatives of Foreign/External Affairs Ministries of all SAARC Member States. Deliberations included issues related to Meetings of SAARC Technical Committees, Working Groups, and Regional Centres; consideration of efficiency and disciplinary rules for Regional Centres; financial and administrative matters of the SAARC Secretariat and Regional Centres and the schedule of SAARC Programmes and Activities for the period 2009-2010. 

The Committee paid special attention to the need for SAARC to have an effective media outreach strategy in the context of SAARC having graduated to an implementation phase. 

Member States acknowledged Sri Lanka’s efforts in establishing the Office of the SAARC Cultural Centre in Colombo earlier this year. The Committee recommended to the Standing Committee comprised of SAARC Foreign Secretaries, approval of the budget of the SAARC Cultural Centre to be established in Matara as well as proposed activities of the Centre in 2009-2010. Recognising the potential of the Centre in promoting South Asian Culture, Member States welcomed Sri Lanka’s initiative which will foster greater understanding not amongst peoples of the region and beyond. 

The Committee also discussed arrangements for the Sixteenth SAARC Summit which will be held in Bhutan in April 2010.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

13 August 2009