The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The two-day SAARC Council of Ministers Meeting is scheduled to begin in New Delhi on December 7.

The Council of Ministers Meeting will be preceded by a two- day foreign secretary level SAARC standing committee meeting from December 5.

Besides, the two-day SAARC programming committee meeting will precede the standing committee meeting from December 3, official sources said.

The council of ministers meeting will take stock of activities of the regional body to set the tone for the next SAARC Summit, scheduled to be held in the Maldives.

The agenda of the programming committee includes discussion on prioritization and rationalization of the work of the technical committees, working groups and regional centers and related intergovernmental meetings, consideration of the reports of second meeting of technical committee on transport, consideration of matters relating to the SAARC-Japan Special Fund and current status of upgradation of infrastructure of the SAARC secretariat, the sources said.

The programming committee will make assessment and recommend measures to make the SAARC bodies more action oriented and effective to fulfil the objectives of the SAARC.