FM Khalilur in Mauritius to attend 9th Indian Ocean Conference

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman is now in Port Louis, the capital of the East African country Mauritius, to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC-2026), which begins on Friday.

It will bring together leaders, policymakers, and experts from across the Indian Ocean Region to deliberate on shared responsibilities, cooperative frameworks, and the future of regional governance.

On the sidelines, Khalilur is expected to hold discussions with counterparts from other participating nations, a senior official told UNB, noting that this is also an opportunity to seek support for Bangladesh's candidacy for the presidency of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (2026-27).

Prime Minister's Adviser Humaiun Kobir is also accompanying the foreign minister.

The India Foundation, in association with the Government of Mauritius and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, is organising the 9th Indian Ocean Conference.

The foreign minister had a number of meetings in New Delhi on Wednesday and left for Mauritius on Thursday morning.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also attending the 9th Indian Ocean Conference. He will deliver the keynote address at the event. The visit, India said, underscores its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South.

The Indian Ocean Conference was started in 2016 by the India Foundation in association with think tanks and institutions from the region, with participation from 30 countries.

In recent years, the conference has emerged as a flagship forum for countries to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual interest.

Nepalese Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal will also address the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) at the invitation of Jaishankar.