Twenty-five years ago, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation came into being when the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka placed their signatures to a Charter that embodies the enduring hopes and dreams of the people of South Asia. Since then, our Association has been strengthened with Afghanistan joining the SAARC family at the 14th Summit.

When we reflect on our journey spanning twenty-five years, there is much that we as a Region can hail as our achievements. We have put in place mechanisms and institutions necessary to carry out our work and thereby made progress, to promote conditions for fruitful regional cooperation.  

I believe that the partnership nurtured between our nations over the last two-and-a-half decades through the SAARC process has given us the necessary confidence to chart our future course of action with renewed conviction.  

Sri Lanka, for its part, will continue to remain committed to the strengthening of the SAARC process and I believe that the twenty-fifth anniversary of our Association is a fitting occasion to rededicate ourselves towards achieving the noble task of uplifting the living standards of the people of our region.  

Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP

Minister of External Affairs