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
here today.
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).
