Bhutan will be hosting its first South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) ministerial in the capital on July 24. This is the eighth SAFTA ministerial council (SMC) of its kind. On the meeting agenda are matters related to the administration and implementation of the SAFTA agreement and trade services under SAFTA. The commerce and trade members of the SAARC member states and the secretary general of the SAARC will attend the meeting. Bhutan and Afghanistan are the only SAARC member states that have not hosted the SMC meeting. The SMC is the highest decision-making body of SAFTA responsible for the administration and implementation of the agreement. SAFTA was launched in January 2006.