SAARC Development Fund conclave: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg to participate 

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg will participate in the two-day SAARC Development Fund (SDF) conclave, which will focus on infrastructure investments in the region.

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will deliver the keynote address at the conclave beginning July 2, an official statement said.

Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran will also present her views at the meet, SDF CEO Sunil Motiwal said in the statement.

The conclave will focus on 'regional integration through project collaboration and investments'.

Motiwal said the event aims towards strategic growth in South Asia region through project collaboration and regional integration.

It aims to solicit cross-border project co-financing under the social, economic and infrastructure windows of SDF in eight SAARC member states.

The thematic concepts to be discussed during the conclave for funding would be energy, transportation, ICT, trade and commerce, agriculture and allied sectors, and poverty alleviation, among others.

The Thimphu-based SDF was established by the heads of the eight SAARC countries- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - in April 2010.

It was established with an aim to promote peoples' welfare in the region, improve their quality of life, and accelerate economic growth, social progress, and poverty alleviation.

Motiwal said delegates from ADB, World Bank, IFC, Islamic Development Bank, JICA, AIIB, and European Investment Bank, among others, have confirmed their participation.