Bangladesh calls for free, open & inclusive Indian Ocean ahead of IORA ministers' meet

Ahead of the upcoming Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting, Bangladesh has called for an open, free, peaceful and inclusive Indian Ocean. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters at a news briefing on Sunday, 14 November, that the Indian Ocean is a “huge issue" and added that Bangladesh doesn’t want to see any unilateral dominance in the region, the Dhaka Tribune reported. 

Momen’s remarks came three days ahead of the 21st IORA COM meeting, scheduled to take place on November 17. Bangladesh will be hosting the meeting this year as it takes up the chairmanship for the first time in 24 years. Notably, the Chairmanship of Bangladesh will run from 2021 to 2023, with the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the UAE taking the position of vice-chair. 

IORA identifies 6 priority areas

The IORA has six priority and two focus areas identified on the basis to promote sustained growth and balanced development in the Indian Ocean Region. These include maritime safety and security, trade and investment facilitation, fisheries management, disaster risk management, tourism and cultural exchanges, academic, science and technology cooperation, blue economy, and women’s economic empowerment. 

“We’ll try to focus on those issues,” Momen said on Sunday. He added that the Indian Ocean is very important for trading. “It is also dangerous with some associated risks like cyclones, typhoons, tidal surges. So it’s an essential meeting,” Momen said.

Moreover, the Bangladeshi foreign minister stated that that IORA is looking at the future through the ocean as there are many things to achieve together through partnership and dialogue. 

IORA Council of Ministers’ meeting 

The Bangladeshi foreign minister went on to say that this is a “great moment” for Bangladesh and 12 ministers from 11 countries (two ministers from Tanzania), who will be joining the IORA COM in person. Ministers representing IORA countries, including the Minister for South Asia, the UN and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, will be visiting Bangladesh to attend the IORA event. Momen informed that the IORA ministers will also be meeting Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina during their stay in Dhaka. 

It should be mentioned here that IORA is an inter-governmental organisation that was established on 7 March 1997. The IORA vision originated during a visit by late South African President Nelson Mandela to India in 1995. The organisation aims to promote sustained growth and balanced development within the Indian Ocean region.

IORA also aims to strengthen cooperation and dialogue with member states - Australia, Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, French Republic, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

(With inputs from ANI)