by Mateen Haider in The Nation, Mar 12, 2023
Islamabad – Afghanistan which is a member of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC) received a setback as the association skipped Afghanistan’s official from being made the next Secretary General of SAARC.
Highly informed sources in the SAARC secretariat told The Nation that under SAARC charter and rules it was Afghanistan’s turn to nominate its diplomat for secretary General position. The reason which is given is the non recognition of the Afghan Taliban government by SAARC and its member states.
After Afghanistan, it was turn of Bangladesh and its senior career diplomat Golam Sarwar was made new secretary General of the eight member regional body.
He is replacing Esala Ruwan Weerakoon of Sri Lanka who has completed his three years term in february 2023. The government of Bangladesh has forwarded Golam Sarwar’s name for appointment as secretary general of the regional bloc.
Nepalese foreign secretary Bharat Raj Poudel being host of SAARC secretariat personally spoke to his counterparts in Saarc member states including Pakistan except Afghanistan on the nomination of Golam sarwar as new SAARC secretary general.
A new Saarc secretary general is chosen by an in-person meeting of the Saarc council of ministers, which was not possible this time. This is why the Nepali side proposed an endorsement via a circular, which member states accorded approval.
https://www.nation.com.pk/12-Mar-2023/setback-as-afghanistan-not-given-saarc-secretary-general-post
