Bangladesh has assumed the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the next two years with the theme – “Harnessing the opportunities of the Indian Ocean sustainably for inclusive development.” “This event has been very special to Bangladesh,” said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen while briefing reporters on the outcome of the21st Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) held in a city hotel on Wednesday evening. The theme, selected by Bangladesh, was “profusely appreciated” by the member countries and the dialogue partners of the IORA, he said. Read: Focus on blue economy: PM to IORA states Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Secretary, Maritime Affairs Unit (MAU) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam also spoke on the occasion. Dr Momen said they have nominated Salman Al Farisi from Indonesia as the new Secretary General of the IORA who will take over the charge from January 1 next year. The IORA decided to take up Russia as a dialogue partner in the Council of Ministers. “I welcome Russia as the new dialogue partner of IORA,” said the Foreign Minister. He said the vaccine issue came up in a big way amid the participation of vaccine producing countries – the UK, the US and China. “Vaccine should be a public good and it should be shared without any discrimination.”