The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)’s stated objectives:
- To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life
- To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potential
- To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia
- To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the following fields:
- Economic
- Social
- Cultural
- Technical
- Scientific
- To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries
- To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests
The SAARC website provides the following information domains:
- A brief description of SAARC and its objectives (Brief on SAARC)
- An organisational profile (SAARC – A Profile), including for instance:
- Historical background and institutional structure
- An integrated program of action
- Poverty eradication
- Trade and economic cooperation
- SAARC regional centres
- Regional conventions
- Cooperation with regional NGOs
- An organisational charter
- SAARC summit declarations
- Vision and planning outlines (Visions for the second decade)
- Youth resolution
- Agreement on the SAARC preferential trading agreement