20 February 2014,Maldives;The Thirty-Fifth Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers begins in the Maldives today. As part of its working program, the Council will review the progress of the implementation of decisions taken at the Seventeenth SAARC Summit, the Thirty Forth Session of the Council of Ministers, and the report on the Fortieth Session of the Standing Committee. The Council will also consider the appointment of the next Secretary-General of SAARC. The report on the Thirty Fifth Session is to be adopted at its conclusion.
The Council of Ministers comprises of the Ministers of Foreign /External Affairs of the Member States. As provided under the SAARC Charter, mandate of the Council includes formulation of policies; review of progress of cooperation; decision on new areas of cooepration; establishment of additional mechanism under SAARC, and decision on other matters of general interest to the SAARC. As current chairperson of the SAARC, the Government of Maldives will chair the Thirty-Fifth Session Council of Ministers.
ENDS.