COLOMBO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will assume the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the period between 2023 and 2025 at the forthcoming 23rd Council of Ministers' Meeting to be hosted by Sri Lanka in October, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
The ministry said the meeting will be preceded by the 25th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials and it is the second time that Sri Lanka will assume the IORA chairmanship, having previously served as the chair from 2003 to 2004.
The primary objectives of the IORA are to promote regional economic integration, enhance trade and investment, facilitate sustainable development, and strengthen maritime safety and security, according to the ministry.
Sri Lanka has chosen "Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity" as the theme for its chairmanship of IORA. ■
