Bangladesh has sought cooperation from Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member states for implementing the new Action Plan through concerted efforts as Bangladesh is set to become Chair of the IORA in the last quarter of this year.

Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd.) Md. Khurshed Alam made the request on Thursday while attending a workshop. 
Bangladesh, current Vice Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), hosted the workshop virtually to discuss the second IORA Action Plan.

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Around 50 senior officials from the 22 member states of IORA participated in the daylong workshop. Khurshed Alam led the Bangladesh delegation.

Secretary Alam highlighted the evolution of IORA into a forum that has started to address regional and global issues of both human security and human development across several continents. 

He stressed that the Second IORA Action Plan should be result-oriented, action-oriented, inclusive, comprehensive, and aligned to the objectives of the IORA. 

Alam hoped that the workshop would be able to lead us to a well-structured, farsighted and pragmatic Action Plan that will minutely address all the opportunities and challenges of this region.

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Bangladesh played a pivotal role in discussions during the workshop and conveyed thought-provoking suggestions and fruitful inputs for the Second IORA Action Plan including the format and structure of the new Action Plan, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Discussions on the IORA Strategic Vision were held, and member states were also requested to agree on the proposed format and structure of the new IORA Action Plan.