On advice from the Cabinet, the President has decided on the Maldives’ participation in the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORA). The deliberations were made at a meeting of the Cabinet, on a paper presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Cooperation is based on the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit among members. The main areas of cooperation include economics, science and technology, fisheries, tourism, and human resource development.
At today’s meeting, members noted that membership of IORA would facilitate resolving issues of piracy, terrorism, and other security concerns in the Indian Ocean.