This initiative taken by the Institute of Marketing & Management (IMM) of organizing the above mentioned Congress was applauded by one and all. From the point of view of the Keynote Speakers comprising of international personalities from the Chambers, Banking & Education Sectors of the concerned 7 countries i.e. Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan and Sri Lanka, this Congress is probably the first of its kind, organized by an Institute to offer a common platfrom to review and relook at all the opportunites available in the region of Trade and Commerce, for economically integrating South Asia.
The Congress Secretariat acknowledges gratefully the e-mails as received from the offices of Mr. Zahid Maqbool, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Pakistan and Mr. Muhammad Iqbal Tabish, Secretary General, SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Pakistan, thanking IMM for arranging a wonderful event as it had provided a great platform to the participants to discuss and share ideas to develop a synergy to create strong business links. They appreciated this initiative for a better South Asian Region integration and are confident that this will energize the trade and economic activities of South Asia. They expresses a desire to be in touch so that it would be possible to put up a combined stance to enhance regional goals jointly. The same sentiment was expressed by the Keynote Speakers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, SriLanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The Chairmen of the Technical Sessions, comprising of former Indian Diplomats, who had been holding posts of Heads of Indian Diplomatic Missions in the countries concerned, eminent Academicians, heads of Think Tanks as Reseach & Information System for Developing Countires and Chambers as Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Corporate Heads as Executive Director (Corporate Planning & Strategy), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd; present Joint Secretary (SAARC), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India; Hon’ble Member of National Human Rights Commission and Representatives from the SAARC Secretariat, were all unanimous in appreciating this endeavour of the Institute and have expressed their wish to join hands for such future ones.
Representatives from the Diplomatic Missions in Delhi other than all these 7 countries as Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Poland, Lithuania, South Africa, United States of America, Lesotho, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Philippines, Peru, Malaysia, Ghana Gabon, Iran, Zambia have also expressed satisfaction at the level of the discussion and confirmed attendance for the future ones. The co-sponsor of the event, SAARC Division of the Ministry of External Affairs had nominated its officials to join the event and around 315 delegates, from all sectors including both Central Government & State Governments, participated at the Congress.
Some of the comments of the eminent delegates are given as under:
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Mr. S.A. Mahdavi, Minister Counsellor–Energy & Economic, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran appreciated the discussions and has requested for an abstract of the event to be provided for his reference.
Dr. G.V.R. Joseph- Assistant Director (Botany), Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has thanked IMM for the Congress, and requested for the proceeding as the deliberations have been quite thought provoking.
IMM being a non-Government facilitating body will continue further developmental work on the area with the support of the nodal Ministry.
