ABSTRACT
This paper examines how regional organizations can promote sustainable development by analyzing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and its comparison with the European Union (EU). The EU has really taken the reins alongside enforceable policies like the European Green Deal, while SAARC struggles due to political tensions and weaker institutions. This study looks at both organizations qualitatively—their frameworks, policies, and outcomes correlating to sustainable development. The findings suggest the EU's supranational governance with robust structural funds outperforms SAARC's intergovernmental, consensus-driven model. The paper concludes by proposing some policy measures for SAARC aimed at increasing regional integration and learning from the EU's success.
