FM in Mauritius to attend Indian Ocean Conference

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius to attend the ninth Indian Ocean Conference, where he is expected to hold bilateral meetings and seek support for Bangladesh's UNGA presidency bid.

The conference, beginning today (10 April) in the Mauritian capital, will bring together leaders, policymakers and experts from across the Indian Ocean region to discuss regional cooperation, shared responsibilities and future governance frameworks.

"On the sidelines, the foreign minister is expected to hold meetings with his counterparts from participating countries," a senior foreign ministry official said, adding that Dhaka will also use the platform to seek support for Bangladesh's candidature for the presidency of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (2026-27).

Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kabir is accompanying the foreign minister during the visit.

The conference is being organised by the India Foundation in association with the government of Mauritius and India's Ministry of External Affairs.

Khalilur travelled to Mauritius after concluding a series of meetings in New Delhi on Wednesday, where he held talks with senior Indian leaders.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also attending the conference and is scheduled to deliver the keynote address. 

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal will also address the event at Jaishankar's invitation.

Launched in 2016, the Indian Ocean Conference has emerged as a key platform bringing together representatives from around 30 countries to deliberate on issues of mutual interest and regional cooperation.