SAARC is not a failure: Teerink

Kathmandu, June 27: Rensje Teerink, ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nepal, Tuesday said that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was not a failure.

Speaking at a talk on Economic Development in Landlocked Countries – part 2, a series of Linkfest Thoughts to Action, she said that the regional cooperation might face confusion and difficult situation at times, and recommended to enhance the cooperation through the people to people connectivity and organizations like Sabah, a regional association for home-based workers in South Asia.

She said that the SAARC had taken up and brought down by political problems.

“Small initiatives will be effective in this regard. You shouldn’t be disappointed with small breakdowns. It took 60 years for us to materialise the European Union,” she said.

Teerink said that the EU could be model for the regional integration and suggested to move forward with other regional initiatives like the BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) and Belt and Road Initiative.

She recommended Nepal to give priority to hydroelectricity, agriculture and infrastructure development.

Executive director of Cuts International, India Bipul Chaterjee also said that energy was definitely an area of cooperation and suggested to take health and education along with the energy development and connectivity.

He said that the BBIN was like the Greater Mekong regional approach, and both the initiatives were led by the Asian Development Bank.

Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghishing urged to give priority to transport and electricity in the regional setup.

Francois Driard, chief executive officer (CEO) of Himalayan French Cheese, said that agriculture and agro-processing industries had high potential in Nepal.

“Perception of Nepal in far east is very good even as compared to India. If the process is simplified, Nepal can tap market opportunities there,” he said.

CEO of Nepal Airlines Sugat Ratna Kansakar said that for the tourism development, the national flag carrier should be strengthened and number of aircrafts and destinations should be increased.