‘IORA Action Plan should be result-oriented’

The Second IORA Action Plan should be result-oriented, action-oriented, inclusive, comprehensive, and aligned to the objectives of the IORA, said Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam.

He made the comment at a workshop hosted by Bangladesh, Vice Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), to discuss the Second IORA Action Plan was held virtually on Thursday, said a press release.

Around fifty senior officials from the 22 member states of IORA took part in the daylong Workshop. Secretary Md Khurshed Alam led the Bangladesh delegation.

Khurshed Alam hoped that this workshop would be able to lead the member states to a well-structured, farsighted and pragmatic Action Plan that will minutely address all the opportunities and challenges of this region.

Secretary Alam highlighted the evolution of IORA into a forum that has started to address regional and global issues of both human security and human development across several continents.

Bangladesh played a pivotal role in discussions during the Workshop and conveyed thought-provoking suggestions and fruitful inputs for the Second IORA Action Plan including the format and structure of the new Action Plan.

Discussions on the IORA Strategic Vision were held, and member states were also requested to agree on the proposed format and structure of the new IORA Action Plan. Since Bangladesh will become the Chair of IORA in the last quarter of this year, Secretary Alam sought cooperation from the IORA member states for implementing the new Action Plan through concerted efforts.