Bangladesh will host the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Dhaka on May 12-13, says Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin on Thursday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the conference at a city hotel on May 12 , the Spokesperson told reporters at a weekly media briefing.

The Prime Minister will also host a dinner in honour of the guests who will participate in the conference.

The 6th edition of the Conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh.

With the theme of “Peace, Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future”, the conference would bring together a luminary gathering of key stakeholders to chart the roadmap for strengthening the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) was started in 2016 and in the last six years it has emerged as the "flagship consultative forum" for countries in the region over regional affairs.

The Conference endeavours to bring critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

The first edition of the Conference was held in Singapore in 2016.

It was attended by over 300 delegates from 22 countries including ministers, political leaders, diplomats, strategic thinkers, academics, and media.

The second IOC was hosted in 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka and was attended by representatives from over 40 countries.

The third IOC was hosted in 2018 in Hanoi, Vietnam, and was attended by delegates from 44 countries.

The fourth edition of IOC was hosted in Maldives in 2019 and was addressed by speakers from 36 countries and attended by delegates from 40 countries.

The fifth edition of IOC was organised in 2021 in Abu Dhabi, UAE and was addressed by 37 speakers from 21 countries.