IMPROVING CO-OPERATION BETWEEN INDIAN OCEAN STATES

TODAY high-level delegations from more than 20 countries will descend on Durban for the 18th Indian Ocean Rim Association (Iora) Council of Ministers Meeting, which will take place under the theme “Iora – Uniting the Peoples of Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East through Enhanced Co-operation for Peace, Stability and Sustainable Development”.

This marks the second year in a row that Durban, South Africa’s premier Indian Ocean city, hosts the Iora Ministerial Meeting – an organisation established through the vision of our first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela.

The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an economic co-operative community of littoral and island states whose shores, like South Africa’s, are washed by the Indian Ocean.

During his visit to India in 1995, Mandela said: “The natural urge of the facts of history and geography… should broaden itself to include the concept of an Indian Ocean Rim for socio-economic co-operation and other peaceful endeavours.

“Recent changes in the international system demand that the countries of the Indian Ocean shall become a single platform.”

In recognition of 2018 as the centenary of Madiba, it is expected that the meeting in Durban will adopt a “Special Declaration on the Commemoration of the Centenary of the Birth of Nelson Mandela”.

The Indian Ocean region is of great economic significance due to its strategic location. The region is home to nearly one-third of the world’s population (2.6 billion) and provides critical sea trade routes that connect the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia.

The region is central to world trade. Half of the world’s container ships pass through the Indian Ocean.

One-third of the world’s bulk cargo and two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments traffic pass through the ocean.

The ocean contains heavy mineral deposits and is rich in energy reserves, producing nearly 40% of the world’s offshore petroleum.

Indian Ocean Rim Association member states relate as equals and are in pursuit of common developmental objectives.

Co-operation among Iora members is based on the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit.

An important feature of the association’s work is the Special Fund, which was established in 2008 as a financial mechanism for supporting and complementing the funding of Iora projects and programmes.

The fund is capitalised by voluntary contributions from the member states and dialogue partners.

South Africa has benefited previously from Special Fund support in terms of two Special Fund projects totalling $110 000 (R1.6million) in the fields of the Blue Economy and science and technology.

One of our priorities as chairperson of Iora is to ensure that the Indian Ocean region is peaceful, stable and developmental.

Without peace and stability in the region, our efforts towards promoting economic co-operation for the well-being and development of the countries and people of the Indian Ocean Rim would be unsuccessful.

We have no doubt that Durban, once again, will not only showcase itself as a key strategic port through which we conduct business with our fellow Indian Ocean Rim Association members, but also market itself as a great tourism destination.

Sisulu is chairperson of the Iora Council of Ministers and South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation.