40th IOC Council of Ministers charts regional cooperation agenda

Mauritius was represented at the 40th Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), held on 07 June 2026 in Moroni, Union of the Comoros by the Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Rajen Narsinghen.

The ministerial session, convened at the Palais du Peuple, brought together Foreign Affairs Ministers and delegates from all five IOC member states namely Union of Comoros, France, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles alongside key regional partners including the European Union.

Mr Narsinghen's participation underscored Mauritius' continued commitment to regional integration and collaborative action in addressing shared challenges and promoting sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region.

Discussions focused on a wide range of regional priorities, including food security, maritime security, public health, connectivity, culture and institutional modernisation. The Council adopted a roadmap for the coming year, outlining key initiatives aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and resilience across the Indian Ocean region.

Among the key decisions were the organisation of ministerial conferences on maritime and cybersecurity issues; the establishment of a regional fisheries monitoring centre; the operationalisation of the SEGA One Health Fund to strengthen regional health preparedness including responses to Mpox and Ebola; and the holding of a regional symposium on maritime connectivity.

The session also marked the transfer of the IOC's rotating presidency from the Union of Comoros to France, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of both nations' membership in the organisation. During its tenure, France will focus on enhancing maritime security, disaster risk management, institutional modernisation and regional trade cooperation.

09 June 2026

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Topics: Bilateral cooperation