Islamabad office

Establishment of Islamabad regional office: A commitment to bolster cooperation in South Asia

UCLG ASPAC’s regional office for South and Southwest sub-region in New Delhi, India.

REGIONAL cooperation is critical in governments’ efforts to accelerate economic growth and promote sustainable development. The established partnership will raise productivity and employment as well as enhance institutions. Driven by this thought and the high demand of services and activities in the South Asia subregion, UCLG ASPAC has established a regional office in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The regional office is expected to do an effective coordination and facilitate interaction between the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; which are seven out of eight members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

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The coordination will draw valuable inputs for cities and local governments within this sub-region to strengthen the institution. For optimum exposure, the South and Southwest Asian Office will be rotated amongst SAARC members. Currently, the office is located within the premises of the Association for Development of Local Governance (ADLG) in Islamabad, Pakistan. Set up in 2015, ADLG closely collaborates with the Government of Pakistan and Ministry of Local Government in Pakistan. Held responsible for the day-to-day activities is the newly recruited Coordinator of Sub-regional Committee and Office for South and Southwest Asia, Sabeena Gul.