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{{Infobox summit
| summit_name  = 18th SAARC summit
| other_titles = १८औं सार्क शिखर सम्मेलन 
<!-- Commented out: | image        = SAARC Logo.svg -->
| caption      = Held in Kathmandu
| country      ={{flagicon|NEP}} [[Nepal]]
| cities       = [[Kathmandu]] 
| venues       = National Assembly Hall (राष्ट्रिय सभा गृह)
| date         = 26–27 November 2014
| motto        = ‘Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity’
| participants ={{flagicon|AFG}} [[Afghanistan]]<br />{{flagicon|BAN}} [[Bangladesh]]<br />{{flagicon|BHU}} [[Bhutan]]<br />{{flagicon|IND}} [[India]]
}}

The eighteenth summit of 'South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation' (SAARC) was held in [[Kathmandu]], the capital of [[Nepal|Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal]] during 26–27 November 2014. The theme of the summit was ''Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity'', focused on enhancing connectivity between the member states for easier transit-transport across the region. [[Sushil Koirala]], the then Nepalese Prime Minister, was the main host of the event which took place in Rastriya Sabha Griha <ref>{{cite web|title=Kathmandu, Nepal to host 18th SAARC Summit in November 2014|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/kathmandu-nepal-to-host-18th-saarc-summit-this-year/|work=IANS|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|accessdate=20 February 2014}}</ref> The summit took place after an interval of three years as the previous summit was held in 2011 in [[Maldives]].

==Background==
On 26 May 2014, [[head of state]]/[[head of government]] of all SAARC nations attended the [[First swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi|Swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi]] in New Delhi and the following day they have held high level discussion with the newly appointed Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] which was dubbed as the [[List of SAARC summits|mini SAARC summit]] in the media.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140601/editorial/the-mini-saarc-summit-100977.html|title=The mini SAARC summit|publisher=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=1 June 2014|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> There it was agreed to revitalize the SAARC initiative and a summit was agreed upon in Nepal at the earliest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/11/01/nepal-think-tank-foresees-average-saarc-summit|title=Nepal think-tank foresees ‘average’ SAARC summit|publisher=bdnews24.com|date=1 November 2014|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> Started on November 26, the two-day SAARC Summit was the 18th session of the multilateral organisation. times of India

==Participants==
The following [[heads of state]]/[[heads of government]] of the eight member countries participated in the summit in [[Kathmandu]].
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="4" style="text-align: center; background:Gainsboro" |'''[[SAARC|SAARC members]]'''
|-  style="background:LightSteelBlue; text-align:center;"
! colspan=2 | Member

! Represented by
! Title
|-
! {{flagicon|AFG}}
| Afghanistan
| [[Ashraf Ghani]]
| [[President of Afghanistan|President]]
|-
! {{flagicon|BAN}}
| Bangladesh
| [[Sheikh Hasina]]
| [[Prime Minister of Bangladesh|Prime Minister]]
|-
! {{flagicon|BHU}}
| Bhutan
| [[Tshering Tobgay]]
| [[Prime Minister of Bhutan|Prime Minister]]
|-
! {{flagicon|IND}}
| India
| [[Narendra Modi]]
| [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]
|-
! {{flagicon|MDV}}
| Maldives
| [[Ibrahim Mohamed Solih]]
| [[President of Maldives|President]]
|-
! {{flagicon|NPL}}
| Nepal
| [[KP Sharma Oli]]
| [[Prime Minister of Nepal|Prime Minister]]
|-
! {{flagicon|PAK}}
| Pakistan
| [[Imran Khan]]
| [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]]
|-
! {{flagicon|SRI}}
| Sri Lanka
| [[Gotabaya Rajapaksa]]
| [[President of Sri Lanka|President]]

|}

==Agenda==

Foreign Ministers of the eight member states signed an agreement on energy cooperation namely 'SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity)' in the presence of their heads of state and government during the concluding ceremony of the 18th SAARC Summit on 27 November. Although Pakistan stalled, citing insufficient internal preparations, signing of two other agreements on Vehicular Traffic and Railways respectively. Although Nepalese Prime Minister [[Sushil Koirala]], current SAARC Chair, expressed his hope that the 'Regulation of Passenger and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst SAARC Member States', and 'SAARC Regional Agreement on Railways' would be signed later after the Transport Ministers of these countries reviewed them. It was also decided that Pakistan will host the next summit in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/saarc-leaders-reach-energy-deal/article6639785.ece?homepage=true|title=SAARC leaders reach last-minute energy deal|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=27 November 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

The [[India-Pakistan relations|India-Pakistan]] stand-off on the first day threatened to jeopardize the entire summit process as Pakistan seemed to be in the mood to block every Indian led proposal. But the next day things have changed when the two Prime Ministers met privately at the retreat session which led to Pakistan agreeing one out of three proposed agreements and they also met and shook hands publicly during the closing ceremony and this 'transient peace' in the relation was believed to brokered by the Nepalese side as a face-saving measure for the Kathmandu summit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/nepal-played-key-role-in-narendra-modi-nawaz-sharif-handshake/articleshow/45300842.cms|title=Nepal played key role in Narendra Modi-Nawaz Sharif handshake|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=27 November 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

China, which holds an observer status in the group, was represented by Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin seen actively promoting a more active role for itself in the region including infrastructure funding through its proposed 'Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank' (AIIB) and extending its ambitious [[Maritime Silk Road]] project to South Asian nations. Pakistan, China's all weather friend, also vouched for a more participatory role for the observer nations in the summit process, indirectly advocating for a more Chinese involvement. Although no such proposal was accepted because of India's reservation.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/11/china-makes-inroads-into-indias-backyard/|title=China Makes Inroads Into India's Backyard|magazine=[[The Diplomat]]|date=27 November 2014|accessdate=27 November 2014}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
{{Main|Declaration of 18th SAARC Summit}}

With the ongoing cold relationships between India and Pakistan, the formal handshake between the Prime Ministers from both the countries caught a lot of attention and was applauded by everyone in the Summit Hall. In this way the 18th SAARC summit was over
<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/after-chill-the-thaw-handshake-but-no-talks/|title=SAARC summit: PM Narendra Modi, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif shake hands, but no talks |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=28 November 2014|accessdate=28 November 2014}}</ref>

==Gallery of participating leaders==
<gallery widths="150px" align="center">
File:Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai July 2014 (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|AFG}} ''' [[Ashraf Ghani]]''' <br />President of [[Afghanistan]]
File:Sheikh_Hasina_-_2009.jpg|{{flagicon|BAN}} ''' [[Sheikh Hasina]]'''<br />Prime Minister of [[Bangladesh]]
File:Tshering Tobgay.jpg|{{flagicon|BHU}} ''' [[Tshering Tobgay]]''' <br />Prime Minister of [[Bhutan]]
File:PM Modi 2015.jpg|{{flagicon|IND}} ''' [[Narendra Modi]]''' <br />Prime Minister of [[India]]
{{flagicon|MDV}} ''' [[Abdulla Yameen]]''' <br />President of [[Maldives]]
File:Sushil Koirala.jpg|{{flagicon|NPL}} ''' [[Sushil Koirala]]''' <br />Prime Minister of [[Nepal]]
File:PrimeMinisterNawazSharif.jpg|{{flagicon|PAK}} ''' [[Nawaz Sharif]]''' <br />Prime Minister of [[Pakistan]]
File:Maithripala- Russia (portrait).jpg|{{flagicon|SRI}} '''[[Maithripala Sirisena]]''' <br />President of [[Sri Lanka]]
File:Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in January 2014.jpg|{{flagicon|Maldives}} '''[[Abdulla Yameen]]''' <br /> President of the [[Maldives]]
</gallery>

==See also==

* [[List of SAARC summits]]
* [[Declaration of 18th SAARC Summit]]
* [[SAARC satellite]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.saarc-sec.org/SAARC-Summit/7/}}

{{South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:SAARC summit, 18}}

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|keywords=2014 in international relations, 2014 in Nepal, Kathmandu, 21st century in Kathmandu, 21st-century diplomatic conferences, 2014 conferences, History of Nepal (2008–present), Diplomatic conferences in Nepal
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[[Category:South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|Summit, 18]]
[[Category:2014 in international relations]]
[[Category:2014 in Nepal]]
[[Category:Kathmandu]]
[[Category:21st century in Kathmandu]]
[[Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences]]
[[Category:2014 conferences]]
[[Category:History of Nepal (2008–present)]]
[[Category:Diplomatic conferences in Nepal]]