Call for meaningful engagement with observer nations
At a time when China is stepping up pressure to become an active member, Saarc member states agreed on Monday to have meaningful engagement with all nine observers of the body.
At a time when China is stepping up pressure to become an active member, Saarc member states agreed on Monday to have meaningful engagement with all nine observers of the body.
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Foreign secretaries of all eight member states decided on this during the two-day meeting of the 41st standing committee which concluded in Kathmandu on Monday evening. “
The committee decided to have a meaningful engagement with observers in priority areas identified by the members states,” Nepal’s acting foreign secretary Shanker Das Bairagi said. Priority areas include communications, infrastructure, tourism and public health, he said.
On Sunday, China’s Xinhua news agency carried a report quoting Nepali experts and politicians that it was an insult to keep restricting China to its observer status.
The report carried a statement by Nepal’s foreign minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey that his country would have no problem if all members agreed to provide membership status to China.
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The committee agreed on closure of three Saarc regional centres and merger of four regional centres for setting up a new Saarc Environment and Disaster Management Centre.
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The committee agreed on closure of three Saarc regional centres and merger of four regional centres for setting up a new Saarc Environment and Disaster Management Centre.
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Foreign and external affairs ministers of member states will meet on Tuesday to discuss the recommendations of the standing committee and fine tune the Kathmandu Declaration to be released at the end of the summit.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
