President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC-CCI) Suraj Vaidya said that the coming the bi-annual event the SAARC Business Leaders Conclave 2018 is going to be a major international conference of business leaders and political leaders of this region.

According to organizer, SAARC Business Leaders Conclave 2018 will be held from March 16-18.

Addressing a press meet, President Vaidya said that the three day event brings together the region’s economic and business thinkers, doers and change makers on a common platform to discuss, debate and create solutions and opportunities to take South Asia on the path of shared prosperity through economic integration.

According to organizer biennial event of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Conclave will feature interactive discussions and deliberations between torchbearers and influential leaders of the South Asian economy.

“Our intention in organizing such events is to hold discussions on major issues for unleashing the potential of shared prosperity of the region,” said Vaidya.

Vice president of SAARC-CCI Om Rajbhandari said that the conclave is a very important event for the regional prosperity which is the house of one-fourth of the world’s population. “We are very much encouraged by the support given by the government to make our program a grand success,” said Rajbhndari.

Opening the floor president of Society of Economic Journalist Nepal Pushpa Acharya highlighted the importance of the event.

The bi-annual event of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC-CCI) is going to be held in Nepal for the second time and the government is going to host the regional event jointly with SAARC-CCI, according to Suraj Vaidya, president of SAARC-CCI.

Former president of India, Pranab Mukherjee, has been invited to deliver a keynote speech in the conclave. Mukherjee was the host of the second SAARC business leaders’ conclave. Former president of Sri Lanka Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has also been invited to address the conclave.

Top-notch businesspeople from the region will be addressing the conclave.

India has so far conducted this event three times, and Nepal and Sri Lanka have organised it once so far. “SAARC Business Leaders’ Conclave was supposed to be held in Pakistan along with the SAARC summit, but it could not happen as the SAARC summit has been postponed,” said Vaidya.

The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) meeting is also scheduled towards the end of the conclave. The commerce ministers of the region are going to meet after four years to discuss unresolved issues to bring the SAFTA agreement into effect. There will be bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

“The government is happy to support this program in line with public private partnership,” said Rabi Sainju, joint secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply.

The World Bank will provide support to the event as a knowledge partner. The event will provide a common platform to South Asian think-tanks, policymakers, and businesspeople. They are slated to hold intensive interactions on various issues to discuss, debate and come up with solutions and opportunities to take South Asia on the path of shared prosperity through economic integration.

At a time when South Asian nations are rigid in promoting intra-regional trade and investment, this kind of regional conference will help to ease such situation,” said Vaidya.

Executive member of SAARC-CCI Rajendra Man Sherchan said that the organizer will provide much needed support to media to make appointment with the various participants.

For detail https://www.sblc.info/