PM attends opening of IORA Leaders' Summit

The first-ever Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders' Summit formally kicked off at the Jakarta Convention Center here this morning, BSS reports.

Indonesia President Joko Widodo, who is also the current chairman of IORA, formally opened the summit in the presence of the heads of state and government and representatives of 21 coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the opening ceremony of the summit.

Representatives of seven dialogue partners of IORA as well as a number of invited guests attended the inaugural function.

Local artistes performed traditional dance beating "Gendang Papua", a small traditional "dhol" (drum) of Indonesia.

Later, they presented the drums to the heads of state and government including the Bangladesh prime minister who later beat the drums for a while before the guests.

Apart from the Bangladesh prime minister, President of South Africa Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of Yemen Abdrabbuh

Mansur Hadi, President or Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Malaysian Prime Minister Seri Najib Razak, Vice President of Comoros Azali Assoumani, Vice President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton, Prime Minister of Australia Malcom Turnbull are attending the summit.

Indonesia is hosting the the Leaders' Summit in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the IORA, a grouping of nations having coastlines with the world's third largest ocean.

The three-day summit is being held in Indonesia for the first time since the launching of IORA in 1997 while the theme of meet this year is "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean".

Earlier on her arrival at the summit venue, the Bangladesh prime
minister was received by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Later, the prime minister joined a photo session of the heads of state and government of IORA.

The summit has brought together the leaders of 21-member association, seven dialogue partners and individuals working for promoting cooperation and closer interaction in the region.

The summit will adopt a strategic action plan on countering violent extremism and terrorism.

Members of the association are- Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen.

The dialogue partners of the association are- China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the USA.