Malaysian Foreign Minister attends 21st IORA COM

By
Zubeda Anjum Niazi
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272
Malaysian Foreign Minister
Foreign Minister of Malaysia, Saifuddin Abdullah

Kuala Lumpur, 19 November 2021 (TDI): Malaysia participated in the 21st Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers’ Meeting (IORA COM). The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah represented his country in the meeting. Bangladesh hosted the virtual meeting.

21st IORA Council of Ministers’ Meeting

During the meeting, Saifuddin Abdullah urged the member states of IORA to cultivate sturdy cooperation for the sake of mutual benefit. Working in harmony for the same objective will ultimately unleash the potential of the region for the betterment of all the states.

Delivering the national statement at the event, the Malaysian Foreign Minister stressed the need for joint collaboration for tangible outputs. Other than that, he spoke about cultural diplomacy, health diplomacy, maritime security as well as post-Covid-19 cooperation.

Harnessing the Opportunities of Indian Ocean sustainability for Inclusive Development

The theme of the 21st IORA COM is “Harnessing the Opportunities of Indian Ocean sustainability for Inclusive Development”. With reference to the theme, mutual collaboration for a sustainable and prosperous Indian Ocean was also on the agenda of the meeting to be discussed.

Dhaka Communiqué

The meeting affirmed the Dhaka Communiqué which underscored the pivotal role of IORA in fostering inclusive development. The members also discussed the importance of safeguarding maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region amidst the pandemic.

Indian Ocean Rim Association

The IORA was formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative or the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation. It is an international inter-governmental organization with 23 member states. Established in 1997, its aim is to cultivate regional economic cooperation along with ensuring maritime security. The members are the states that share contiguity with the Indian Ocean. Malaysia is an active member of IORA since 1997.