I hope all the government of this region will come forward with every possible support to SACEP for making it an effective regional environmental organization. To that end, I reiterate the support of our people and the government towards SACEP.

Allah Hafez, Bangladesh Zindabad.


Message of His Excellency Mr. Lyonpo Wangchuk
Prime Minister, Royal Government of Bhutan

I extend my best wishes to the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) on the occasion of its silver jubilee. Bhutan is proud to be a founding member of SACEP and has benefited from a number of SACEP’s projects and programs in the areas of environmental education, environment legislation and air pollution.

South Asia covers almost one twentieth of the earth’s surface and is one of the world’s most diverse regions with a diversity of ecosystems, cultures, religions and economic development patterns. We harbor 14% of the world’s mangrove forests, 6% of the world’s coral reefs and one of the world’s most important mountain ecosystems that is home to more than 25,000 species of plants. Along with the immense natural wealth, We are also home to one fifth of the world’s population.

Globally, human activities are resulting in mass extinction of species and climate change that pose a great threat to future generations. Global economic development is already outgrowing the carrying capacity of the earth. Even in our region, unprecedented economic development during the last decade has led to increased pressure on the region’s natural environment, causing depletion and pollution of water resources and biodiversity, deforestation, Soil degradation and air pollution .Furthermore, natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, tsunamis, drought and landslides have exacerbated the rate of environmental degradation. All of these have tremendous impact on the livelihood and wellbeing of our people, particularly the poor.

With its mission to promote regional cooperation in the field of environmental management and sustainable development, SACEP today is lauded as the oldest regional intergovernmental environmental organization in the world. The organization is a reflection of our region’s collective commitment to sustainable development and recognition that cooperative action is crucial to address both environmental degradation and poverty alleviation in the region.

With 25 years of experience behind it, SACEP must now shoulder great and definitive responsibilities in promoting collective regional action in priority areas of environmental concern such as waste management, adaptation to climate change, biodiversity conservation, water resource management and reduction of natural disasters.

Bhutan remains committed to the ideals and visions of SACEP and I extend my best wishes and Tashi Delek for the success of the organization in promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development in our region.


Message of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister, India

It is heartening to note that the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) is celebrating its silver jubilee this year.

At the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972, the then Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi expressed the feelings of many developing countries when she said "How can we speak to those who live in villages and in slums about keeping the oceans, the rivers and the air clean when their own lives are contaminated at the source? The environment cannot be improved in conditions of poverty". India is committed to a process of sustainable development that maintains a balance and harmony between the environment and the imperative of economic growth.

I extend best wishes to SACEP on this significant milestone.


Message of His Excellency Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
President, Republic of Maldives

It gives me great pleasure to extend warm greetings and sincere congratulations to the Governing Council, Consultative Committee, National Focal Points, Subject Area Focal Points and Secretariat of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), on the historical occasion of SACEP's silver jubilee. I also extend my good wishes of the occasion to the national focal point for SACEP the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.

Since its inception in 1982, SACEP has made an important contribution to promoting cooperation in protecting and preserving the environment of its member-states.

From the mountainous terrains of the Himalayas to the coral gardens of the Maldives, the South Asian region contains some of the most spectacular environments and biologically diverse ecosystems anywhere in the world. SACEP has matured steadily over the years towards fulfilling its stated visions of recognizing environmental degradation, integrating environment and development and promoting cooperative action among member-states.

SACEP has successfully implemented a number of Programmes and projects in a variety of areas, including air pollution, protection and management of the coastal environment and environmental legislation. It is also the secretariat for the South Asian Seas Programme.

SACEP’s role in strengthening environmental protection standards in the Maldives is indeed significant. In this regard, I recall SACEP’s assistance towards improving our State of the Environment reporting, and the implementation of the first phase of the historic ‘Male’ Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Transboundary Effects for South Asia’. The second phase of implementing the Declaration is currently underway. SACEP’s role in revising UNEP’s Regional Seas Reports and Studies for South Asian Seas, strengthening regional response to marine oil and chemical spills, and long-term management and conservation of coral reefs in South Asia are further milestones of SACEP.

I am confident that SACEP will go from strength to strength, and continue to work in partnership with the member countries in preserving and protecting our environment.


Message of His Excellency Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala
Prime Minister, Nepal

I am delighted to learn that the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme is celebrating the silver jubilee of its foundation this year On this happy occasion, I, on behalf of the people and government of Nepal as well as my own, would like to express my sincere congratulations to the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP)

The last few decades have proved challenging for all the regions in the world and more so for South Asia in achieving sustainable development. During this period, we have realized that national capacity-building is critical to ensure sustainable development that alone protects the rights of the future generations to have an access to the benefits of the environmental resources. It must be acknowledged that prudent utilization of environmental resources within the limits of its carrying capacity is necessary, but not sufficient condition, to ensure the equitable sharing of benefits to the present and future generations.

In South Asian context, poverty remains one of the daunting challenges that need to be addressed seriously to mitigate the environmental problems. Sustainable development would remain a distant dream if poverty is not eradicated in all its forms and dimensions, Our experiences suggest that poverty and underdevelopment contribute to environmental degradation. The adoption of the Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals 2000 underlines the commitment that the world leaders have made towards eradicating poverty in the world.

The SACEP represents our commitment to make collective efforts to address the environmental problems we are facing and to attain the lofty goal of sustainable development in the region. The efforts made by SACEP in the field of environmental management are noteworthy. However, much remains to be done. I am confident that the SACEP will continue to make sustained efforts to address, in a comprehensive manner, environment related challenges and problems including those associated with climate change. It is a matter of serious concern that Nepal and her neighbouring member states have been experiencing the adverse impact of climate change. We, therefore need to address this problem collecively, resolutely and steadfastly.

I wish the SACEP all success in its endeavours!


Message of His Excellency Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa
President, Sri Lanka

I am pleased to send this message for the silver jubilee celebrations of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), a pioneer inter-governmental regional organization on management of the environment.

The Government of Sri Lanka played a lead role in establishing SACEP and offered to host its secretariat in Colombo. Taking stock of its achievements over 25 years, we see that SACEP has faced many challenging issues both within and outside the environmental sector, in South Asia and beyond. I am glad to note the significant achievements of SACEP in addressing these issues.

The emerging environmental issues of a trans-boundary nature call for collective action by the countries of the region. With the added complexities of globalization, the role of SACEP as the facilitator of environmental management in our region becomes more important. The collaborative arrangements between SACEP and other international organizations to meet emerging challenges are commendable.

I congratulate SACEP on its silver jubilee celebrations and wish it all success in future activities to promote the protection, management and enhancement of the environment in the countries of South Asia.


Director General's Message
 

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be at the helm of South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) at this period of time in its history when it celebrates 25 years of its existence.

SACEP carries a very rich tradition of many great achievements since its inception and I salute to the wisdom of its founding fathers who had the vision to establish this regional organisation, the first of its kind not only in South Asia but in the world and for the member countries for their commitments.

I carry the torch lit by my predecessors who has kept the flame alive with their untiring efforts to bring many innovative projects and programmes to this region.

Today, our region faces the challenges of rapid economic growth coupled with an ever increasing population. This has a strong impact on the environment. Uncontrolled Urbanisation and the changing lifestyles of this population have led to an aggravated problem of Waste Management. The effects of Climate Change and Global warming are being progressively felt in this region with Glacial Lakes and Sea level rise being critical issues for the mountain and the small islands and the coastal regions respectively. SACEP is trying to address these burning issues and has prioritised both Waste Management and Adaptation to Climate Change as priority issues in its current Work Programme.

The External Review of SACEP done in 2003, has given a way forward for SACEP to learn from its weaknesses and transform itself into a dynamic and relevant organisation to its member countries. I have put in all my efforts to steer SACEP on this new recovery path and to strengthen it to become a premier institution in the field of environment. As envisaged in the revised Mission Statement, we have tried to establish close links with several national, regional and International Institutions and to work with them for the benefit of the region. In this aspect, we are happy to mention the MoUs and Project Agreements that we have signed with UNEP, European Commission, IMO, WMO, SIDA, IUCN and the Royal Belgium Institute of Environment

I am profoundly honoured to the attention from the international community for the present strong status of SACEP in the South Asia Region.

I am thankful to the Host Government Sri Lanka for its continued strong support. The United Nations Environment Programme, other network of regional and international organisations, several governmental and non governmental organisations for strengthening the partnerships to achieve the expected role of the Secretariat.

I am particularly grateful for the strong support of the member country governments to carry forward the programmes of SACEP and I am confident that this support will not only continue but grow to help SACEP evolve into the organisation that was the dream of its founding fathers to act as a fulcrum of all sustainable environmental activity in this region.

SACEP has performed and is recognised for its renewed strength to play its part for achieving environmental sustainability in the region, taking the Millennium Development Goals as a scale to measure its regional performances.

I am confident that SACEP has found its bearings to lead and be proactive to take up its role to enhance leadership in the region for environmental management on every issue from the atmosphere to the mountains right down to the deep oceans.

In framing its strategies for the future generations of our region, SACEP will continue to observe the global changes to adapt to the regional status, observe and incorporate economic considerations in addressing the environmental concerns to achieve sustainable development and above all the cause of poverty alleviation for the millions of under privileged in the South Asian Region.

I look forward to the continued support from all concerned to take this organisation to greater heights in the near future.