He assured of his full co-operation in this regard and said that Maldives is always trying for the success of the Saarc. India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that although intera-regional trade flows have grown and transport and telecommunication link has expanded, but the share of intra-regional trade and investment flows in total trade and investment flows in South Asia is far below what has been witnessed in East and South-east Asia, well below potential.
"We have created institution for Regional Corporation. However, we have not yet empowered them adequately to enable them to be more proactive," he added. He said that Saarc has opened new windows of co-operation and the Saarc Development Fund, the food bank, the South Asian Free Trade Agreement and South Asian University are examples of new institutions that would knit this region.
He said: "The challenge before us is to translate institutions into activities, convention into program, officials statements into popular sentiments." He added that the 21st century cannot be an Asian Century unless south Asia marches together. Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigmy Y Thinley, Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar, President of Sri Lank Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzia and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Hasina Sheikh also spoke.