Sri Lanka is hosting the First Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Maritime Safety and Security Working Group (MSSWG), in Colombo on 8th and 9th August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today (06).

This Meeting will finalize the Work Plan for two years, advancing the IORA Action Plan (2017-21) with the Member States towards developing a regional agenda.

IORA is a dynamic inter-governmental organization aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 22 member States and 09 Dialogue Partners, the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.

Maritime Safety and Security was adopted as one of the six (06) priority areas of IORA during the 11thIORA Council of Ministers (COM) meeting held on November 2011, which recognized the critical economic and strategic relevance of a stable maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region.

IORA has been addressing Maritime Safety and Security in the Indian Ocean through a broad range of activities to enhance international cooperation in security and governance to successfully tackle the challenges faced by the region.

The IORA MSSWG was established in September 2018 and presently chaired by Sri Lanka for a period of two years. Last year, the Terms of Reference for the Working Group was finalized in Colombo.

Sri Lanka, with its geo-strategic location as well as its diverse experience in maritime safety and security issues, contributes much to this Working Group by way of sharing expertise and experiences.

Engagement with IORA aligns with Sri Lanka’s Blue-Green Economy agenda while enhancing cooperation with the Indian Ocean littoral states.