PORT LOUIS: 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers’ Meeting

PORT LOUIS: India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held at Dhaka, Bangladesh on 24 November 2022. The Indian delegation was led by Hon’ble Minister of State External Affairs (MoS), Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners. MoS, in his remarks reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to strengthening of IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific. He highlighted India’s contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Science, Technology & Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat. India is setting up an eOffice at the IORA Secretariat. MoS also announced provision of e-subscription by India to Mahatma Gandhi Library at IORA Secretariat. In the face of current global challenges to our climate, food and energy security, Minister highlighted our initiatives of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.

The COM adopted the ‘IORA’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ (IOIP) which would guide enhancement of IORA’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. India led the process of development of the IOIP. Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd COM Meeting. The Ministers also endorsed India’s candidature for IORA Vice-Chair for the period 2023-25 by consensus. Tomorrow the Ministers would have a joint call on the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.

On the sidelines of IORA COM, MOS had a bilateral meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia, HE Mr. Ali Mohamed Omar where the two sides discussed various bilateral and multilateral matters.

Prior to this meeting the IORA Senior Officials reviewed the entire range of IORA’s ongoing and future work and activities at the 24th IORA Committee of Senior Officials’ meeting held on 22-23 November 2022.