PM to open Indian Ocean Conference on Friday

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina here on Friday will inaugurate the two-day Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) which will bring  ministerial-level delegations from at least 25 countries to discuss  strengthening cooperation among the regional countries.

"We are expecting that the sixth edition of the conference will make numbers  of recommendations to face problems and challenges of Indian Ocean region  that will play a vital role in formulating future work plan of this area,"  Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said in a briefing at the foreign ministry on Wednesday.
 
The partnership of Bangladesh with the countries in the Indian Ocean will become stronger through hosting the IOC, he said. 

Mauritius President Prithvirajsing Roopun, minister and state minister-level delegation from 25 countries, including Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, will attend the conference, Momen said. 

Besides, around 150 foreign guests including representatives from D8, SAARC and BIMSTEC will participate in the conference, the minister added.

The participating ministers will also visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also host a dinner in honour of the guests.

Responding to a question, Dr Momen said Myanmar was not invited to the conference.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh maintains good relations with Mauritius and the relations will further strengthen through the visit of the country's president.

The sixth edition of the conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh.

With the theme of "Peace, Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future", the conference would bring together a luminary gathering of key stakeholders to chart the roadmap for strengthening the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) was started in 2016 and in the last six years it has emerged as the "Flagship Consultative Forum" for countries in the region over regional affairs.

The conference endeavours to bring critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).