Bangladesh
IOC 6th Indian Ocean Conference inaugurated in Dhaka
Dhaka, May 13: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the two-day 6th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Dhaka on Friday with an aim to strengthen cooperation among regional countries.
She inaugurated this conference in a hotel in the metropolis. India Foundation is organizing this sixth conference in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh.
Ministerial delegations of at least 25 countries are participating in the conference. Bangladesh is the present Chairman of Indian Ocean Rim Association.
It is expected that the conference will make several recommendations to address the problems and challenges of the Indian Ocean region which will play an important role in formulating the future action plans of the region. Bangladesh's partnership with the Indian Ocean countries will be strengthened by hosting the IOC.
Ministers of 25 countries, including the President of Mauritius and the Foreign Minister of India, are attending the conference. Besides, around 150 foreign guests including representatives of D-8, SAARC and BIMSTEC are participating in the conference. Myanmar was not invited to the conference.
Mauritius President Prithviraj Singh Rupan, Maldives Vice-President Faisal Naseem, Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen and Singapore Prime Minister's Office Minister and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Maliki Osman spoke in the inaugural session of the conference.
Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen joined the programme and spoke virtually. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam was present on the stage. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will host a dinner in honor of the guests.
Themed "Partnering for Peace, Prosperity and a Sustainable Sustainable Future", the conference will bring together key stakeholders to develop a roadmap for strengthening the Indian Ocean region.
The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) began in 2016 and over the past six years has emerged as the "flagship consultative forum" for countries in the region on regional issues. The conference seeks to bring together key states and major maritime partners on a common platform to discuss the possibilities of regional cooperation for security and growth for all in the region.
