Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade RGOB
Bhutan observed the 40th Charter Day of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 9 December 2024 at Tara Lhaden Zhingkham Lhakhang, Pangrizampa with the lighting of a thousand butter lamps and offering special prayers to commemorate the event. Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel, members of the diplomatic community and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade participated in the event.
The Heads of State/Government of South Asia founded SAARC at the First SAARC Summit held on 08 December 1985 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by adopting its Charter. Since then, 08 December is commemorated every year as the SAARC Charter Day by all the Member States.
As enshrined in its Charter, the primary objective of SAARC is to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life through accelerated social progress and economic development in the region. SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as members. Bhutan is a founding member of SAARC.
