SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is organizing the Second SAARC Business Leaders Conclave from February 17-18, 2007 at Mumbai. This will be a curtain raiser to the fourteenth SAARC Summit, which is scheduled to be held from April 3, 2007 at New Delhi.

The objective of the second SAARC Business Leaders Conclave is to liberalize South Asian economies from regulations & restrictions and strengthening collective self-reliance for accelerating economic growth in the region.

Internationally renowned eminent personalities like Nobel Laureate Prof Joseph Stiglitz, of Columbia University, Prof Alan Greenspan, former Chairman, Federal Reserve, USA, President, Asian Development Bank and the likes have been invited to share their vision and views during the conclave.

The First SAARC Business Leaders Conclave (SBLC) was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on November 17, 2005. The conclave was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. It took place at an important moment in the evolution of South Asia, when SAARC stood at the threshold of a new decade of its existence.

Eminent personalities like Noble laureate Prof. Michael Spence of Stanford University, US; President, SCCI; Secretary General, SAARC; Prof Arvind Panagariya, Prof. Susan Collins, Prof Carl Dahlman, and the likes along with Foreign, Finance and Commerce Ministers from SAARC countries enlightened the august gathering with their insight and vision at the conclave.

'The First conclave provided a unique platform to debate and discuss the gains made in regional cooperation during its first two decades and to chart a forward-looking strategy to promote effective cooperation at all levels to realize the objectives set out so far.

The First SBLC emphasized that efforts must continue to free South Asia from poverty, hunger and other forms of deprivation which present a daunting challenge. The private sector of the region expressed determination to work towards significantly accelerating regional cooperation in economic areas for overcoming this formidable challenge.

In order to deepen this process & widen the scope of public-private partnership in the region, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the only Apex Chamber of the region, resolve to organize the next SBLC at Mumbai in February 17-18, 2007.

Warm Regards,
Sailesh Mishra