Dozens of foreign delegates and officials yesterday attended the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) summit in the Indonesian capital.
About 100 people, including representatives from the 21 IORA member countries that border the Indian Ocean were seen at the meeting, which celebrates 20 years since the association’s founding, Efe news reported.
For yesterday’s portion of the three-day summit, which concludes today, a Council of Ministers meeting was on the agenda, as well as a business summit aimed at boosting co-operation among the member states, according to the official IORA website.
Some of the senior delegates attending yesterday’s proceedings were Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and South African International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
Today’s agenda includes the IORA Leaders’ Summit hosted by Indonesia — the current chair of IORA — organised under the theme “Strengthening Maritime Co-operation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean”.
The international association was formed in 1995 and brings together countries across Asia, Oceania and Africa.
(From left) The secretary general of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) K V Bhagirath greets South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane as Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop look on during a group photo call for ministers at their meeting in Jakarta.