Opening Session Dr. Sanjeeva Reddy, President of SARTUC, opened the conference, highlighting the trade union situation in the region and share his experience with the delagates. Mr. Noriyuki Suzuki, General Secretary of ITUC-AP spoke in the opening session and talked about the Labour situation in the region and also talked how Mr. Basnet revived SARTUC after more than a decade of oblivion. He also highlighted the achievement of SARTUC during short period of time. Mr. Laxman Basnet, General Secretary of SARTUC also spoke in the opening `session and highlighting SAARC is moving forward agenda 21, and will meet again on upcoming SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan on November 2016. This is the opportunity for the trade unions to influence the plan of action and zero draft papers and improve on these two very important aspects for this region, labour migration and informal economy. He also informed that lobbying with different stockholder to adopt the agenda relating to informal economy from the upcoming SAARC summit. Mr. Lesslie Devendra, General Secretary of SLNSS welcomes every delegate in the conference on the behalf of host country. He affirmed the importance of General Conference. Mr. Lesslie also mentioned the achievements of the SARTUC. Just after the opening session Mr. Simon Steyne from ILO Geneva office starts by referring to the UN goals for development SDG2030, in which some issues are related to the workers’ movement. He specially focuses the agenda 8 which is related to the decent work. Sustainable Development Goals Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts* Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development These will become a priority for the future. After his small presentation, Closing session starts and TUs leaders from each country report about the trade union situation in the country as well as the region. SARTUC General Conference was concluded in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 23-24 August 2016. SARTUC Convention concluded with some amendment in its constitution and elected the new office bearer for next four years as flows: 1. President - Mr. G. Sanjeeva Reddy from India 2. General Secretary - Mr. Laxman Basnet from Nepal 3. Vice-President - Mr. Harbhajan singh from India - Mr. Zahhor Awan from Pakistan -Mr. Salikram Jamarkattel from Nepal - Mr. Lesslie Devendra from Sri Lanka -Mr. Maroof Qaderi from Afgfhanistan - Mr. AA Mukit Khan from Bangladesh 4. Deputy General-Secretary -Mr. Ashok Kumar Singh from India -Mr. Velayudam Ruthiradeepan from Sri Lanka 5. Secretary woman -Ms. Uma Nagendramani from India SARTUC General Conference also forms an ad-hoc committee of Women under the chair of MS. Champa Verma from India. Following members are in ad-hoc committee and decided to hold a Women conference within one year time form this conference. 1. Ms. Champa Verma , HMS, India 2. Ms. Sweeta Azimi, NUAWE, Afghanistan 3. Ms. Salina Begum, ITUC-BC, Bangladesh 4. Ms. Uma Acharya, GEFONT, Nepal 5. Ms. Rabeea Hadi, PWF, Pakistan 6. Ms. Anusha Sivarajan, CWC, Sri Lanka SARTUC Genera Conference also elected the chair of Formalization of Informalities committee in under the chair of Mr. Khila Nath Dahal from Nepal as well as the Migration Committee under the chair of Mr. Professor Tofazzol Hossain from Bangladesh. General Conference amended the Constitution provision 7.2 (The General Conference of the SARTUC shall take place every three (4) years). Previously there is provision for 3 years. During the SARTUC General Conference, following areas of action have been adopted. • General Conference gave the minded to push the agenda (formalization of Informalities) in the upcoming SAARC summit which is going to be held in Pakistan on November 2016. A) Social Security in South Asia (agenda 20) B) Protecting the Rights of and Promoting benefits for South Asian Migrant workers (action plan of agenda 21) C) Minimum wage in South Asia D) Mainstreaming Gender in South Asia During the conference attached documents was distributed 1. General Secretary report 2. The 9th Summit of GFMD Where Do We Stand and where Do We Move 3. (SARTUC) Composition and Terms of Reference of Women’s Committee 4. Eighteenth SAARC Summit KATHMANDU DECLARATION 5. Finances 6. Sustainable Development Goal 2030 7. Formalization of Informal Economy (recommendation 204) 8. SARTUC Updates Book 9. SARTC Initiatives on Labour Migration 10. Agenda for upcoming SAARC summit regarding the Informal Economy Program was conducted on the 2nd day according to program schedule. Thank you.