"Concord is the first document of IORA to respond to global challenges in the future," Retno said at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) here on Tuesday.
Retno made the statement while presenting a report on the ministerial meeting at the IORA Summit.
The IORA ministers have endorsed the Jakarta Concord to be signed and adopted by the leaders of the member states at the IORA Summit on March 7.
The Jakarta Concord carries three important issues to strengthen the six IORA priority issues, which have been in place since the beginning, and to establish cooperation in the future. The issues are related to womens empowerment, blue economy, and democracy, Retno remarked earlier.
In addition, the IORA ministers also agreed on the IORA Plan of Action, which includes concrete action to implement the Jakarta Concord and strengthen the realization of commitment to priority and cross-sectoral areas.
They also have agreed on the IORA Declaration for Preventing and Eradicating Terrorism and Extremism with Violence, which serves as a joint agreement among IORA member states to fight terrorism and extremist violence.
"The document contains efforts to take decisive action to combat terrorism and extremist violence. The document also reflects the determination of every member state to maintain peace and promote positive messages about tolerance and diversity in the Indian Ocean region," she stated.
Indonesia is now the IORA chairman, with South Africa as its deputy chairman.
For the first time ever, Indonesia holds the IORA Summit on March 7. The summit was preceded by the IORA senior officials meeting on March 5 and ministerial meeting on March 6.
The series of the IORA meetings is themed "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean."(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
