17 February 2014, Male'; The Forty-fifth Session of the SAARC Programming Committee begins in the Maldives today. As part of its working program, the Committee is scheduled to review the status of the implementation of recommendations provided at the Forty-Fourth Session, in December 2013. Further, the Committee will consider a Report of the Working Group on Energy and a Report of the Technical Committee on Environment and Forestry. The Committee will also consider financial and administrative matters relating to the SAARC's Secretariat, and the SAARC's calendar of activities for the year ahead. The report on the Forty Fifth Session is to be adopted at its conclusion.
As current chairperson of the SAARC, the Government of Maldives will chair the Council of Ministers and its preceding meetings including the Programming Committee. To this effect the Committee will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hassan Shifau.
The Programming Committee of SAARC effectively monitors the operational running of the Association and to this effect, deliberates on all matters relating to administration, budget and running of the Association. It also monitors the work of the Secretariat in implementing the decisions of the Summit and other meetings. The Maldives Delegation to the Programming Committee is led by Ms. Fathimath Najwa, Assistant Director and Head of SAARC Division in the Ministry.
ENDS.