Indian Ocean Countries Adopt Bali Communique to Bolster Cooperation

Jakarta Globe, Alin Almanar, October 27, 2016

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, center, with her Australian counterpart
Julie Bishop, second from left, chairing a ministerial meeting by member states of
the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday (27/10).
(Antara Photo/Nyoman Budhiana)

Nusa Dua. Countries bordering the Indian Ocean adopted a communique aimed at joint efforts to tackle various problems, ranging from maritime threats to economic inequality, at a meeting hosted by Indonesia.

The 21 member states of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) completed a draft late on Wednesday (26/10), during a meeting by senior officials in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The "Bali Communique" was adopted during a ministerial meeting, opened by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday.

"We welcome the initiatives to promote economic cooperation and continue to explore all the possibilities and avenues to establish a work program for enhanced cooperation," the communique states.

Ambassador K.V. Bhagirath, secretary general of the IORA, said on the sidelines of Wednesday's meeting that it is "a very important document encapsulating the intent for cooperation in various sectors."

He said the communique mainly addresses six issues that have long been prioritized by the regional grouping of the world's third-largest ocean.

Those are maritime safety and security, trade and investment, fisheries management, disaster risk management, tourism and culture, as well as science and technology.

"The communique is already very clear. It surely tells you the steps to be taken," Bhagirath, who is from India, told the Jakarta Globe. "The IORA secretariat will carry out those programs, consulting with the member states."

"We'll meet regularly to assess progress of the communique in the months to come. We'll be reviewing how much we have implemented in upcoming meetings, which will probably be held early next year," he added.

A series of meetings scheduled for March next year will conclude with the inaugural IORA summit led by Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Jakarta.

Southeast Asia's largest country is chairing the association of Indian Ocean rim countries, which have a combined population of more than two billion people, for the period of 2015-17. IORA has observer status at the United Nations.

The member states are Australia, Bangladesh, the Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, South Africa, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Indonesia succeeded Australia as IORA chair and will be replaced by South Africa late next year.