The 26th Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) was convened virtually on May 30-31, 2024. Hosted by the Government of Sri Lanka, the current IORA Chair, the CSO was focussed on the theme “Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity.”

The virtual meeting commenced with insightful remarks from Sri Lanka (Chair), India (Vice-Chair), Bangladesh (Past Chair), and the Secretary-General of IORA, H. E. Salman Al Farisi. The meeting proceeded with a detailed review of the agenda items by IORA Member States, IORA Specialized Agencies, and the IORA Secretariat.

The CSO, serves as the second-highest decision-making body within the IORA and plays an essential role in reviewing, discussing, and making recommendations on various agenda items, which are subsequently forwarded to the Council of Ministers (COM) for final approval. Comprising senior government officials from IORA Member States, the CSO meets bi-annually, with the provision for additional sessions as mutually agreed upon by Member States.