Regional Conference on Deepening South Asia Economic Integration

Dear Friend:

RIS is organizing a Regional Conference on Deepening South Asian Economic Integration in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 24 July 2008 at the FICCI Conference Hall.  The objective of the Conference is to have a discussion on the relevance and challenges for regional economic integration in South Asia by engaging leading members of the think-tanks, business circles, media and civil society at large in the context of the forthcoming SAARC Summit.  RIS has a tradition of organizing such pre-Summit event before the SAARC Summits to create an awareness on the agenda of the Summit.

We have requested Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble Minister for External Affairs to inaugurate the Conference.  Senior experts from other SAARC countries such as Dr. Kamal Hossain, former Minister of  Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh; Dr. Bekh Bahadur Thapa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nepal; Mr. Nihal Rodrigo, Advisor to President of Sri Lanka & Former SAARC Secretary-General, Sri Lanka; Mr. Tariq Sayeed, President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Dashougyen Dorji, Past President, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bhutan, among other have agreed to join us for a discussion at the Conference.   We are enclosing a copy of the tentative agenda of the Conference for your information.

The latest RIS publication South Asia Development and Cooperation Report 2008 will also be launched at this occasion.

In view of your deep interest in the subject, I am writing this to invite you to participate in the Conference. I hope you will be able to spare time and give us the benefit of your participation.

A line in confirmation would be grately appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-
Nagesh Kumar
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Dr Nagesh Kumar
Director-General,
Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
4B India Habitat Centre, New Delhi-110003
India
tel. +91-11-2468 2176/ 2177-80
fax: +91-11-2468 2173/75
www.ris.org.in