Fifth Indian Ocean Dialogue - Uniting the peoples of Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East through enhanced cooperation for peace, stability and sustainable development.

South Africa is preparing to host the Fifth Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) on 1 – 2 August 2018. The IOD is a flagship initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) with its origins in the 13th Council of Ministers meeting, held in November 2013 in Perth, Australia.  As a 1.5 track meeting that examines opportunities and challenges within the region, the IOD is a forum for engagement with scholars, experts, policy makers, think tanks and civil society’s from IORA Member States and Dialogue Partners.

 

IODs have been held annual since 2014, beginning in Kochi, India; Perth, Australia; Padang, Indonesia and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Previous discussions have focussed on economic cooperation, maritime safety and security, blue economy, cyber security, renewable energy and disaster relief, and have resulted in the Kochi, Perth, Padang and Abu Dhabi Consensuses.

This year, the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the South African Chapter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Group (SA-IORA) will host the Fifth IOD on 1-2 August 2018.

Special focus will be drawn to the sustainable development of the Indian Ocean region through four sessions:

• The role of academia in supporting IORA’s goals;
• Peace and Development in the Indian Ocean Rim;
• Sustainable Development in the Indian Ocean Rim; and
• Economic Development in the Indian Ocean Rim.

This meeting seeks to realise the goals of the IORA Action Plan 2017-2021 and will strengthen engagement on research, development, and innovation as well as support the role of the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group (IORAG).

Participants will also discuss the IOD being institutionalized to become an official IORA mechanism, enhancing human capacity building, strengthening regional collaboration and partnerships between IORA Member States and Dialogue Partners.