The 3rd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Ministerial Conference will be held in Dhaka on September 4-5 making the inclusive growth and employment opportunities in the Blue Economy activities from the Indian Ocean belt.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the conference titled “Promoting Sustainable Blue Economy- making the best use of opportunities from the Indian Ocean” on Thursday as the chief guest, said an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministerial Conference will adopt the Dhaka Declaration and other outcome documents aimed to illustrate the commitment of IORA Member States to further strengthen and deepen cooperation on Blue Economy priority areas in the years ahead.
The conference will be preceded by a working session to be held Wednesday to discuss the ways and means to strengthen Blue Economy implementation.
The working session will include several discussion sessions on different aspects of the blue economy.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, State Minister
for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, IORA chair Makhotso Magdeline Sotyu and IORA Secretary General Dr Nomvuyo N Nokwe will also address the inaugural session.
These are sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – enhancing regional cooperation for mariculture and capacity building of the fishers; harvesting sustainably – ‘Our Blue Opportunities & Ocean Governance; exploiting untapped potential resources- exploration and exploitation of resources from sea/seabed and creating value from the resources through R&D, potentials for development of blue economy in the Indian Ocean Rim; connecting to the gateway of blue economy- enhancing maritime logistics facilities, coastal shipping and port network and connectivity, and turning to the ocean for value.
Discussions will be aimed at mapping the works that already have been done and also further works that need to be undertaken to secure inclusive and balanced promotion, protection and conservation of the marine resources in the Indian Ocean.
The IORA Member States are Australia, Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
IORA ministers and heads of delegation will jointly meet Prime Minister Hasina after the inaugural session of the ministerial conference at Hotel InterContinental.
