Indian Ocean Rim Association facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Indian Ocean Rim Association
Logo
Map of IORA countries
Headquarters	Ebene, Mauritius
Working languages	English
Type	Intergovernmental
Membership	23 members: Australia Bangladesh Comoros France India Indonesia Iran Kenya Madagascar Malaysia Maldives Mauritius Mozambique Oman Seychelles Singapore Somalia South Africa Sri Lanka Tanzania Thailand United Arab Emirates Yemen 12 dialogue partners: China Egypt European Union Germany Italy Japan South Korea Russia Saudi Arabia Turkey United Kingdom United States
Leaders

• Secretary General	Salman Al Farisi, Secretary General
• Chair	Sri Lanka
• Vice Chair	India

Establishment

• 6 March 1997	Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation

Time zone	UTC+2 to +10.5

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an international group of 23 countries. These countries are all located around the Indian Ocean. IORA helps these nations work together.

It brings together governments, businesses, and universities. They work on improving trade, investments, and social development in the region. The main office for IORA is in Ebene, Mauritius.

What is IORA?

IORA started as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative in March 1995. It officially launched on March 6-7, 1997. This happened when countries signed a special agreement called the Charter.

The idea for IORA began in 1993. South Africa's Foreign Minister, Pik Botha, visited India. Later, Nelson Mandela, South Africa's president, visited India in 1995. This helped make the idea stronger.

South Africa and India then started the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative. Mauritius and Australia joined them. In 1997, seven more countries became members. These included Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

The main group that leads IORA is the Council of (Foreign) Ministers. Before their big meeting, other groups also meet. These include groups for academics, businesses, and trade.

Why IORA Exists: Goals and Focus Areas

IORA has several important goals:

To help the region and its member countries grow in a balanced way.
To focus on economic cooperation that helps everyone.
To make it easier for goods, services, and technology to move freely.

IORA focuses on six main areas:

maritime security (safety at sea)
making trade and investment easier
managing fisheries (fishing)
reducing risks from disasters
working together on science and learning
promoting tourism and cultural exchanges

IORA also has two special focus areas. These are the Blue Economy and Women's Economic Empowerment. The Blue Economy is about using ocean resources in a smart, sustainable way. Women's Economic Empowerment helps women play a bigger role in the economy.

IORA members work on many projects. These include making trade easier and promoting investments. They also work on science, tourism, and helping people move between countries. Other areas include developing infrastructure, reducing poverty, and managing disasters.

Key Focus Areas

Since 2011, IORA has focused on six main areas. These help make the organization stronger.

Keeping Our Seas Safe

IORA sees itself as a key group for maritime safety. This means keeping the oceans safe. It includes protecting the environment and people at sea. They also work on stopping illegal fishing.

IORA's "maritime safety" plan includes training and helping ships in trouble. It also covers equipment and transport issues.

Making Trade and Investment Easier

The Indian Ocean is very important for global trade. IORA wants to make trade easier. They aim to reduce barriers to trade. This helps goods, services, and technology flow more freely. Their plan for 2017-2021 had goals like making business travel simpler.

Managing Fisheries for the Future

Managing fisheries is a very important issue for IORA countries. It's so important that it's a top priority. IORA wants to promote sustainable fishing. This means fishing in a way that doesn't harm fish populations. They also want to reduce overfishing.

The Fisheries Support Unit (FSU) helps with this. It aims to protect fish stocks and promote responsible seafood trade.

Preparing for Disasters

The Indian Ocean region often faces natural disasters. These include cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis. There are also man-made disasters like oil spills. IORA works on preparing for these events.

Their plan helps countries learn how to respond to and recover from disasters. Many groups work together on this. These include governments, non-profit organizations, and businesses.

Exploring Cultures Through Tourism

IORA encourages tourism and cultural exchanges. They want countries to work together on this. This helps boost economic growth in the region. It also promotes eco-tourism, which is good for the environment. They also want to celebrate and use the economic potential of cultural heritage.

Learning and Innovating Together

IORA supports cooperation among research centers. They believe that universities and scientists can help IORA learn more. This is especially true for topics like marine conservation.

Big Steps and Successes

Growing Stronger: More Members and Wider Focus

More Countries Joining IORA

When IORA first started, it had only seven members. By March 1997, it grew to 14 countries. Now, IORA has 23 member states. It also has 12 "dialogue partners." China became a dialogue partner in 2001.

This growth means IORA truly represents the Indian Ocean region. Having big global powers as dialogue partners also makes IORA more influential.

Expanding What IORA Does

At first, IORA focused only on trade and money matters. But it has grown to include wider goals for maritime safety. This includes dealing with new threats to ocean security.

The Blue Economy: A Smart Way to Use Our Oceans

The "Blue Economy" is a key focus for IORA. All IORA members became interested in it in 2014. This is because it can create jobs and help feed people. It also helps reduce poverty. The Blue Economy promotes business models that use ocean resources wisely.

Australia and India have led the way in this area. They have good plans for the Blue Economy. IORA has helped create ways to work together. Examples include:

Cooperation on eco-tourism.
Creating the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission to manage fishing.
Researching marine resources for medicine.
Encouraging investments in ocean-related businesses.

Challenges IORA Faces

Even though IORA has many members and is growing, it faces challenges. These can stop it from becoming a very successful group.

Different Countries, Different Goals

IORA has many members, which is good for different viewpoints. But it also means countries have different goals. They might have different ideas about what successful maritime safety looks like.

Some of the world's richest countries are in IORA, like the United Arab Emirates. But some of the poorest are also members, like Mozambique. This can lead to different benefits from projects. It can also cause economic competition.

Other Groups Doing Similar Things

IORA competes with other regional and international groups. Many IORA members also belong to 14 other similar organizations. This means their attention and investments are split.

Political Problems Between Countries

Conflicts between countries can make IORA weaker. For example, India has not allowed Pakistan to join IORA. This dispute affects IORA.

Also, China's growing involvement in the Indian Ocean region is a challenge. China's "Belt and Road Initiative" is a big project. India sees this as China trying to gain more power. This can make cooperation harder, even though experts say China could help IORA projects.

Who are the Members?

IORA has 23 Member States and 12 Dialogue Partners. The Indian Ocean Tourism Organisation and the Indian Ocean Research Group are observers.

Dialogue Partners

These countries have a special "dialogue partner" status:

IORA Summits

Leaders at the 2017 IORA Summit

Year	#	Dates	Country	City
2017	1st	5–7 March	Indonesia	Jakarta

Special Projects

In 2004, a special fund was created. This fund helps pay for projects that support IORA's main goals.

Fisheries Support Unit (FSU)

The Fisheries Support Unit started in 2011. Its main office is in Muscat, Oman. The FSU helps countries work together on fishing. It also does research to protect fish stocks. The FSU shares information but does not make rules about fishing.

Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (RCSTT)

The IORA Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (RCSTT) was formed in 2008. It is based in Tehran, Iran. This center helps with many issues. These include responding to disasters and creating databases for medicinal plants.

Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD)

The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) started in 2013. It is a special discussion forum. It brings together experts and leaders from member countries. They talk about important topics affecting the Indian Ocean region.

IORA Sustainable Development Program (ISDP)

The ISDP started in 2014. It helps the least developed countries in IORA. It shares the best ways to use the Blue Economy. This helps bridge the gap between richer and poorer member states. The ISDP focuses on sharing information and learning from each other.