Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo is leading a South African delegation to the 15th annual Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers meeting on Friday.
The meeting, which will be held in Padang, Indonesia, will discuss the initiation of preparations for the commemoration of 20 years of IORA in 2017 and the strategic outlook for the association.
The meeting will also welcome Somalia as its 21st member and Germany as its 7th Dialogue Partner.
The meeting will also discuss further enhancement of regionalism and greater engagement with the association’s dialogue partners.
In addition the blue economy - as a key IORA focus to harness oceans and maritime resources to drive economic growth, job creation and innovation, while safeguarding sustainability and environmental protection - will also be discussed.
At the meeting, Indonesia will succeed Australia as IORA Chair for the period 2015 – 2017.
“Significantly, South Africa will become the Vice Chair and a member of the association’s Troika, along with Indonesia and Australia and will chair IORA from 2017-2019,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) on Thursday.
The Council of Ministers’ meeting will be preceded by a series of meetings of substructures, namely the Committee of Senior Officials, the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group, the Working Group on Trade and Investment and the Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum.
Deputy Minister Mfeketo will be accompanied by an inter-departmental delegation of senior officials from the Departments of International Relations and Cooperation, Trade and Industry and Science and Technology, along with senior academics from South Africa’s scientific community.
IORA was formally launched in Mauritius on 6 - 7 March 1997 by 14 member states.
South Africa is a founding member of the association - a charter-based multilateral organisation that is fraternal in nature and driven by consensus. The association essentially is an economic cooperative community of littoral and island states around the Indian Ocean.
The association’s current 21 membership is derived from four regions namely the Southern Africa and Eastern African Cluster, the Gulf Cluster, the South Asian Cluster and the South Eastern Indian Ocean Cluster. – SAnews.gov.za
