24th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM)

1. The 24th meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers was held virtually in May 2024.
2. It was hosted by Sri Lanka, the current Chair of IORA.
3. The theme of the meeting was “Sustainable Indian Ocean for Future Generations.”
4. All Member States and Dialogue Partners participated in the meeting.
5. The key outcome was the adoption of the Colombo Communique.
6. The discussions focused on promoting regional peace, enhancing maritime cooperation, and ensuring sustainable growth.
7. India strongly reaffirmed its zero tolerance towards terrorism, including state-sponsored terrorism, and called for its unequivocal condemnation.

What is Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) ?

1. IORA is an inter-governmental regional organisation, established in 1997 to promote economic cooperation among countries bordering the Indian Ocean.
2. Initially formed with 14 countries, now has 23 Member States and 12 Dialogue Partners.
3. Headquarters: Mauritius
4. India: Founding Member

Institutional Framework

1. Council of Ministers (COM): Apex decision-making body, meets annually.
2. Chairmanship:
   1. Elected for 2 years (voluntary offer/geographical rotation).
   2. Current Chair (2023–25): Sri Lanka
   3. India is the Vice-Chair (2023–25); will take over as Chair (2025–27).
3. Secretariat: Based in Mauritius, headed by Secretary-General.
4. Decisions made by consensus; commitments are voluntary.
5. Observer to:
   1. UN General Assembly
   2. African Union (since 2015)

Member States (23)

1. Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, Yemen.

Dialogue Partners (12)

1. China, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Japan, Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UK, USA, EU.

Priority Areas

1. Maritime Safety and Security
2. Trade and Investment Facilitation
3. Fisheries Management
4. Disaster Risk Management
5. Academic, Science and Technology Cooperation
6. Tourism and Cultural Exchanges

IORA Special Fund

1. Established in 2004 (Colombo Meeting).
2. Supports implementation of projects aligned with IORA’s Charter and goals.

Significance of the Indian Ocean

1. 3rd-largest ocean; critical to global trade.
2. Handles:
   1. 50% of global container traffic
   2. 33% of bulk cargo
   3. 66% of global oil shipments
3. It includes 2.7 billion people; rich in cultural and civilisational heritage.
4. Sub-regions include:
   1. Australasia
   2. Southeast Asia
   3. South Asia
   4. West Asia
   5. Eastern and Southern Africa
5. Regional groupings: ASEAN, SAARC, GCC, SADC

India’s Role in IORA :

1. SAGAR Vision aligns with IORA’s goals – maritime security, economic growth, sustainability.
2. Uses strong diplomatic and economic ties to promote cooperation.
3. Aims to enhance IORA funding via public-private partnerships in shipping, oil, gas, and tourism.
4. Promotes digital tools for better data and faster decision-making.
5. Supports marine education and the blue economy through academic partnerships.

Challenges Faced by IORA :

1. Limited budget; depends on member contributions.
2. Most members are developing countries with financial constraints.
3. Large mandate, but lacks resources for full implementation.
4. Weak private sector engagement in key maritime sectors.
5. Small Secretariat in Mauritius with low capacity.
6. Poor data systems hinder efficient planning and execution.