The fifth meeting of the SAARC energy ministers opens here Thursday,an official statement said.

 

 

 "The energy ministers' meeting will be preceded by a meeting of senior officials of the SAARC on Oct 16. A number of important issues related  to energy in the member countries would dominate the discussions," said the statement from India's power ministry.

 

 Besides host country India, energy ministers and senior officials from the South Asian  Association for Regional Cooperation member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives,  Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – will take part in the two-day meet.

 

 The meeting agenda includes a review of implementation status of decisions of the fourth meeting of SAARC energy ministers held in Dhaka in September 2011, and consideration of the report of the senior officials' meeting scheduled Thursday.

 

 SAARC was created in 1985 with its secretariat in Kathmandu. Regional cooperation in the energy sector began in January 2000 with the setting up of a SAARC Technical Committee on Energy.