Nepali PM calls on SAARC nations to act on poverty, food security

Nepali Prime Minister Girija PrasadKoirala appealed here Saturday to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations for action against challenges like poverty alleviation and food security. In his address delivered at the 15th SAARC Summit, Koirala said SAARC nations should focus themselves on alleviating poverty ... ...ensuring employment opportunities to the youths throughout the region. "This has to be looked at now against the background of an unprecedented rise in the prices of hydrocarbon fuels and food," Koirala told the summit, participated by other SAARC nations leaders. Koirala said the price rise of fuels has created problems to sustain economic growth needed to promote welfare of the people of South Asia while the rise in food price has put questions on the very livelihood of the people. "Our vulnerability to these shocks is more than that of many other countries," he said. "These daunting challenges demand that poverty reduction efforts in South Asia should have a comprehensive approach and be focused and result-oriented. On the adverse environmental changes induced by climate change, Koirala called on sustainable and judicious use of non-renewable resources and a commitment to an increased use of renewable sources of energy such as hydropower. In addressing the problem of growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, Koirala said the most important ones at hand are combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, preventing and controlling the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, controlling other transnational crimes and addressing the issues of women and children. "This is a propitious time to attain our objectives, and they are indispensable to take our region to a new height," he added. The summit was also attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley, Bangladeshi Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, together with about 1,000 representatives of SAARC members and seven observer countries. SAARC groups eight countries of South Asia, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with a population of about 1. Representatives from China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and the United States also participated in the 15th SAARC Summit as observers.

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