Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka on 12-13 May

The 6th Indian Ocean Conference will be held in Dhaka on 12-13 May to discuss how the countries of the Indian Ocean region can promote economic development while maintaining peace and stability.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the conference with the theme "Peace, prosperity and partnership for a resilient future", said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in a press briefing at the foreign ministry on Wednesday.

Over 25 ministers, state ministers or deputy ministers of different countries including Mauritian President Prithvirajsing Roopun, Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem, and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are scheduled to participate in the conference jointly organised by the Bangladeshi foreign ministry and the India Foundation, a research institute affiliated to the Indian external affairs ministry.

Mauritian President Prithvirajsing Roopun will be in Bangladesh from Thursday to 14 May on a four-day visit to participate in the conference. Apart from attending it, he will pay a courtesy call on Bangladeshi President Mohammad Shahabuddin. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad will also meet the Mauritian president.

The Mauritian president is also scheduled to visit two industrial parks during his stay in Bangladesh.

Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem is also scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday and leave on Friday after attending the conference. He is likely to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his stay in Dhaka. Besides, he will pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

AK Abdul Momen said, "The entire Indian Ocean region is very important. Everyone needs to work together on how to make the most of the region's changing geopolitical and geoeconomic potential. Besides, regional stability is essential in the current global context."

Various important issues in the changing global context will be discussed in the conference in which officials from 150 countries including Mauritius, Maldives, Singapore, and Germany will participate.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said, "The Mauritian president will visit Bangladesh for the first time. Various bilateral issues will be discussed."

Five Indian Ocean Conferences have been held so far. The first one was held in Singapore in 2016. Later, it was held in Sri Lanka in 2017, Vietnam in 2018, Maldives in 2019, and United Arab Emirates in 2021.

The sixth conference is going to be held in Dhaka after a gap of one year.