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| Monday, 9 August 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| IOR-ARC ministers meeting in Colombo Sri Lanka, the current chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) will host the 5th Council of Ministers Meeting of the IOR-ARC from August 26-27. Other related meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group (IORAG), Indian Ocean Business Forum (IORBF), Working Group on Trade & Investment (WGTI) and the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) will precede the Ministerial Meeting from August 21-25. All meetings will be held in Colombo. Sri Lanka was elected Chair of IOR-ARC in 2001 for the period 2003-2004. Accordingly Sri Lanka chaired and hosted the 4th IOR-ARC Council of Ministers Meeting and other related meetings from 7th-13th October, 2003. Realising the need to provide continuous direction and orientation for IOR-ARC, the last meeting of the Council of Ministers adopted a decision that the council should meet annually while the duration of the Chair remains for two years. The IOR-ARC consists of 18 member countries: i.e. Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE and Yemen as well as five dialogue partners: i.e. China, Egypt, France, Japan, United Kingdom and an observer: i.e. Indian Ocean Tourism Organisation (IOTO). The meetings of the Council of Ministers have been previously hosted by Mauritius in 1997, Mozambique in 1999 and Oman in 2001. IOR-ARC follows a tripartite model with links at government, business and academic levels. The Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group (IORAG), the Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum (IORBF) and the Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI) report to the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) who in turn reports to the Council of Ministers (COM). In a spirit of multilateralism, the IOR-ARC seeks to build and expand understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation through a consensus-based, evolutionary and non-intrusive approach and whose purpose is to facilitate and promote economic cooperation amongst member states. Its objectives, among other matters, include removal of impediments to trade and investment within the region; promotion of trade liberalisation, scientific and technological exchange and tourism; encouraging close interaction of trade and industry, academic institutions, scholars and the peoples of the Member States; and strengthening cooperation and dialogue among Member States in international fora on global economic issues. A number of different Work Programmes and Projects which have their relevance to the objectives of the IOR-ARC have been formulated under the segments of IORAG, IORBF and WGTI and are in the process of implementation. IOR-ARC has its Coordinating Secretariat base in Mauritius headed by an Executive Director assisted by a Director. Sri Lanka has now nominated a senior Foreign Service Officer to the Post of Executive Director of this Secretariat from 31st August 2004 for a period of three years. IOR-ARC is now at important crossroads in its efforts to strengthen regional integration and development. The Report of the High Level Task Force which is widely considered as the blue print for the future direction of IOR-ARC was adopted by the Council of Ministers' Meeting in Colombo in October 2003. At this meeting the Council of Ministers also stressed the need for continued emphasis on trade and investment. The meeting noted that more progress needs to be made in areas such as fisheries, maritime transport, tourism, information technology and a preferential trade agreement in order to bringing about tangible results in terms of the ideals and objectives of the IOR-ARC. |
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