UAE participates in IORA Leaders’ Summit in Jakarta

JAKARTA, 8th March, 2017 (WAM) -- The UAE participated in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders’ Summit and other related meetings that took place in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, from 5th to 7th March, 2017, under the slogan "Strengthening Naval Cooperation to Achieve Peace, Stability and Welfare in the Indian Ocean". The IORA Summit marked the occasion of the association’s 20th year and is considered to be its first leaders’ summit since its establishment in 1997. The UAE delegation was headed by Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, who gave the UAE’s speech to the summit, which stressed the increasing importance of the Indian Ocean as a stage for global commerce and security. She highlighted the importance of taking effective joint steps to meet the challenges facing the Indian Ocean region, such as piracy, regional maritime border conflicts, and environmental challenges on coastal and sea resources. She also spoke of the importance of energy sustainability, investment in renewable energy and environmental protection, as important factors in achieving the welfare of the Indian Ocean region. She then pointed to the increased danger of terrorism and violent extremism and clarified the position of the UAE, which demanded the strengthening of the IORA to assist greater international co-operation, to achieve regional and global stability. The country’s delegation included Mohammed Abdullah Al Ghafli, UAE Ambassador to Indonesia; Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq, Director of Economic and Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Dr. Alya Bukhatir Al Shamsi, Head of the Department of International Security Coordination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Mohamed Abbas Al Khouri, UAE Embassy in Jakarta; Rashid Al Dhaheri, Head of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Amira Abdullah Al Dahmani, Department of Economic and Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Saeed Mohamed Al Hemairi, Department of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, launched the summit with the attendance of 16 presidents and five ministers from twenty-one IORA member-countries, and delegations of the seven IORA members of dialogue. In his opening speech, President Jokowi said that the summit took place during current difficult economic times, the acceleration of the information technology revolution and the growing number of political revolutions around the world. He pointed out that the technical evolution and economic growth that are being witnessed by the Indian Ocean region, increases the importance of the association’s pivotal role in achieving regional and international stability and peace. The summit was preceded by a meeting of the committee of IORA high officials and its ministerial meeting, for which Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi headed the UAE delegation. There were also side meetings for the UAE delegation, headed by Dr. Al Shamsi, and Mohammed Abdullah Al Ghafli and Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq, along with Sheikha Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Abdulmohsen Mahmood Ali, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and Retno Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. These meetings focussed on the exchange of expertise and the means of co-operation between the UAE, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The UAE will be IORA vice president from in2017 to 2019, and president of the association from 2019 to 2021. http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302601571