H.E Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber heads UAE delegation at the Indian ​Ocean Rim Association Ministerial Meeting

The UAE delegation has attended the 15th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers meeting in Padang, Indonesia.

The ministerial meeting, which took place between 20 and 23 October, focussed on maritime safety and security, trade and investment, fisheries management, disaster risk management, science and technology, climate change and tourism and cultural exchanges.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State, led the delegation that included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Economy, as well as the UAE Ambassador to Indonesia, Ahmed Abdullah Muhammed Al Musalli Al Awady.

IORA is an international organisation of countries that border the Indian Ocean and brings together government, business and academic representatives to promote cooperation and strengthen their respective economies. 

The UAE considers IORA a critical enabler of growth and development for all its member states.

Dr. Al Jaber participated in a series of high-level ministerial meetings and underscored the Indian Ocean Rim’s importance to enhancing the region’s economy and strengthening cooperation across trade, investment, technology development and maritime safety.

He also encouraged the association to play a central role in further integrating the region’s two billion people to find common solutions to common challenges, noting, "The UAE strongly supports efforts to build bridges between nations and cultures to promote, expand and develop cooperation."

"As a nation that has long relied on maritime trade, the UAE is committed to maintaining open sea lines of communication and enhancing safety and security in the Indian Ocean. 

The UAE welcomes the continued development of the necessary institutional infrastructure that will bring our people, governments, economies and cultures closer together, and build a more stable, secure and prosperous Indian Ocean region.

"It is important that all regional governments remain committed to a cooperative approach to promote stability and prosperity," said Dr. Al Jaber.

Additional topics discussed during the meeting included enhancing regionalism, and the engagement of dialogue partners, such as China, Germany, Egypt, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the private sector, as well as women’s empowerment and climate change.

Dr. Al Jaber met with Ambassador K V Bhagirath, Secretary General of IORA on the sidelines of the Council of Ministers meeting to discuss the UAE’s active engagement as a member of the association. 

They also discussed how to deepen the relationship through further cooperation across areas including, capacity building, technology development, trade, and maritime safety and security.

Dr. Al Jaber noted that the participating countries need to focus on addressing climate change. He referenced the UAE’s efforts to find viable solutions to the environmental and climate challenges facing the region.

He said, "Renewable energy plays a critical role in both mitigating and adapting to climate change, and providing socioeconomic benefits for many island and coastal countries."

This week’s meeting is one of a series focused on increasing collaboration between the Indian Ocean countries and encouraging economic development. 

In September, IORA hosted its first Ministerial Blue Economy Conference in Mauritius, aimed at applying the "ocean economy," environment and sustainability to basic human needs such as potable water, food, jobs and habitable shelter.

The second Blue Economy Conference will take place January 2016 during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in cooperation with the Seychelles and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.

The UAE will be playing a more influential role in IORA as it becomes the association’s Vice Chair in 2017, before taking over as Chair in 2019.

Representatives from other Indian Ocean Rim nations including Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Yemen also attended the meeting.