KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali stressed on the need of making SAARC an effective and result-oriented regional organization capable of bringing visible changes in the lives of the peoples of South Asia.

He urged the Member States to explore all viable options to hold the 19th Summit at an early date and to generate the new momentum and dynamism in SAARC.

Addressing a virtual informal meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers on Thursday, Minister Gyawali highlighted the need for deeper engagement of the Member States to collectively fight COVID-19 and develop regional resilience to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, according to a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

On the occasion, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi delivered Nepal’s national statement in the Council Meeting.

The Meeting was hosted by Nepal as the current Chair of SAARC. The Nepali delegation led by the Foreign Minister included Foreign Secretary Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Similarly, Ministers for Foreign/External Affairs of all the SAARC Member Countries participated in the meeting.