SCCI - The Regional Business Organization of South Asia

The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been facilitating and promoting trade, service, industry, Small & Medium Enterprise, agriculture in the SAARC region through creating strong business linkages among the entrepreneurs of the of South Asia and in 1992 SAARC secretariat has recognized SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the apex body of private sector in South Asian region. SAARC was established in the year 1985, hitherto avoided including core economic issues in its program, but in consequence to a desire for having a SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SAARC Secretariat commissioned a study on Trade, Manufactures and Services in 1988. The study was completed in 1991 and was concluded with a strong endorsement towards establishing a SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry so as to bring about improvement in the business environment, disseminate information about potential tradable goods and identify joint ventures in the SAARC region. Pursuant to the directive of SAARC Secretariat, SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, assisted by the National Federations, submitted its draft constitution to the SAARC Secretariat and received its approval in December 1992. This signified the official recognition of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI) by all the national governments of SAARC as the apex body of all the National Federations of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SAARC, namely Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry( ACCI) Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBCCI) Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Maldives National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MNCCI) Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL)