The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) and SAARC Law have principally agreed to form a joint association of professionals in South Asia with an objective of improving transparency, accountability and governance leading to poverty alleviation. According to a press release Saturday, leading businessmen and the representatives of SAFA and SAARC Law proposed for the formation of joint association of professionals. It would be presented before the executive committee meeting of SCCI for final approval, president SCCI Tariq Sayeed said. Nihal Rodrigo, former Sec-General SAARC has been consented to be special advisor to this proposed organization. This proposal was propelled in view of the acceptance of the presidency of SAARC by Sri Lanka at the proposed summit to be held on July 30/31. The proposed joint associations of SAARC professionals will be established in Sri Lanka under patronage of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka. "Once the association is formed, their immediate task will be to organize a conference for professionals of the region on 'Strategic Enterprise Governance and Poverty Alleviation' to coincide with the SAARC Summit, Sayeed added. In the meeting the possibility of extending this to the SAARC apex bodies was also explored and the other member countries thereafter and the Charter to be presented at the conference to be organized in Colombo.