Press release

The 35^th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers was held on February 20, 2014, in the Bandos Island of the Republic of Maldives. The Council Meeting was chaired by H.E. Ms. Dunya Maumoom Foreign Minister of Maldives. The meeting was attended by the Foreign Minister’s from the all the SAARC States. The 35^th Session of the Council of Ministers was inaugurated by H.E. Mr. Abdullah Yamen Abdul Gayoom, President of the Republic of Maldives. The Bhutanese delegation to the meeting was led by H.E. Mr. Rinzin Dorji, Foreign Minister. The highlight of the 35^th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers were mainly consideration and approval of the Study to strengthen SAARC Mechanisms, including the Secretariat, Regional Centres and SAARC Specialised Bodies. The meeting also endorsed the appointment of H.E. Mr. Arjun Bahadur Thapa from Nepal as the next Secretary General of SAARC. The Government of Nepal has also announced that the 18^th SAARC Summit will be held in Nepal in November 2014.

On the sidelines of the SAARC Council of Ministers, Foreign Ministers had bilateral discussion with India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.