Indian Ocean Commission
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Indian Ocean Commission (, COI) is an intergovernmental organisation that links African
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
nations:
Comoros The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, ...
,
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
,
Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
,
Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...
(an
overseas region The overseas departments and regions of France (, ; DROM) are the five departments and regions of the French Republic which are located outside European France (also known as " metropolitan France"). These overseas entities have exactly the s ...
of
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
), and
Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
. There are also seven observers:
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, the
Organisation internationale de la Francophonie The (OIF; sometimes shortened to ''La Francophonie'', , sometimes also called International Organisation of in English) is an international organization representing where there is a notable affiliation with French language and culture. ...
, the Sovereign Order of Malta,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
. The IOC was created in 1982 in Port-Louis, Mauritius, and institutionalised in 1984 by the Victoria Agreement (Seychelles). The organisation coordinates cooperative efforts amongst its member and observer nations which primarily focus on environmental management and preservation. Some of the more specific areas of focus in its past projects include maritime concerns and fisheries, the needs of growing island states, adapting to climate change outcomes, food security and public health.


Historical background

The IOC was created in 1982 in Port Louis, by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles. In 1984, the General Cooperation Agreement signed in Victoria (Seychelles) institutionalised the organization. In 1986,
Comoros The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Moroni, ...
and France (Réunion Island), joined the organisation. In 1989, the IOC was provided with a General Secretariat. The headquarters of the IOC is located in Mauritius.


Development

Since the early 1990s, the IOC has been implementing cooperation projects in environmental management and preservation with the support of the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
and French cooperation. Over the course of these projects, the IOC has acquired recognised expertise in the management of marine and coastal environments, fisheries and the preservation of biodiversity. At the beginning of the 2000s, the IOC constantly advocated the specific needs of developing islands, particularly in conferences organised by the United Nations. In September 2005, the IOC requested observer status at the
UN General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its 79th session, its powers, ...
. In 2016, the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
becomes the first observer member of the organisation. It is followed in 2017 by the
Organisation internationale de la Francophonie The (OIF; sometimes shortened to ''La Francophonie'', , sometimes also called International Organisation of in English) is an international organization representing where there is a notable affiliation with French language and culture. ...
, the Sovereign Order of Malta and the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. In 2018, the IOC assumes the chairmanship of the Contact Group on
Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Piracy off the coast of Somalia occurs in the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, and Indian Ocean, in Somali territorial waters and other surrounding places and has a long troubled history with different perspectives from different communities. I ...
(CGPCS) for a period of two years. In 2020,
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
takes over the chairmanship. However, the IOC continues to serve as the secretariat of the CGPCS. In 2019, at a ministerial retreat in Moroni (Comoros), the Moroni Declaration on the Future of the IOC is adopted. This text deals with the modernisation of the IOC. During the 34th Council of Ministers of 6 March 2020 in Seychelles, the Victoria Agreement, the founding text of the IOC, is revised. In 2020,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
become observer members. The IOC's project portfolio has expanded considerably: political stability, public health, gender, mobility, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, regional connectivity (digital, air, maritime), trade negotiations, maritime security, food security and agricultural development, fisheries and fisheries surveillance,
climate change mitigation Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. Climate change mitigation actions include energy conservation, conserving energy and Fossil fuel phase-out, repl ...
, sustainable coastal zone management, waste management, use of earth observation technologies for environmental monitoring, renewable energy, culture, etc. The IOC has a dozen technical and financial partners, among which the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
and the French Development Agency. In May 2023, Mauritius assumed the presidency of the Council of Ministers. In April 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron called for the integration of the French department of Mayotte into the Indian Ocean Commission, advocating for a "pragmatic approach" with the Comoros.


Members


Member states


Observing members


Administration

The IOC is at the service of its Member States.


Bodies

The Council of Ministers (composed of the foreign ministers of the member countries) provides the strategic and political direction of the IOC. It is the supreme decision-making body of the organisation. The chairmanship of the IOC Council of Ministers is annual and rotating (in alphabetical order of member countries). The Committee of Permanent Liaison Officers (composed of senior officials from member states) is responsible for monitoring the implementation of these decisions. The General Secretariat, based in Ebene, Mauritius, is responsible for implementing the decisions of the decision-making bodies. It develops and manages cooperation projects. It is responsible for mobilizing resources from the donor community. The revised Victoria Agreement (2020) makes the Summit of Heads of State and Government a statutory body of the organisation. The IOC Summit will now be held every five years to set the strategic and political direction of the organisation.


Secretaries-general


Objectives and areas of intervention

As an intergovernmental organisation of cooperation, the Indian Ocean Commission promotes peace and stability, maritime security, food security, environmental conservation, fisheries,
climate change adaptation Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to the effects of climate change, both current and anticipated.IPCC, 2022Annex II: Glossary Global Agenda for Sustainable Development to 2030 and the Global Climate Agreement, among others. In 2018 the IOC launched its Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean region (IFC-IOR) in
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, and the Seychelles Regional Centre for Operational Coordination (RCOC) to conduct joint operations as the executive arm of the Maritime Security Architecture (MSA) of the Western Indian Ocean. In September 2022, IFC-IOR and RCOC conducted their first joint operations with EUNAVFOR. In 2020, the IOC is implementing 14 cooperation projects. Over the period 2020–2025, it will manage a total project budget of approximately 130 million euros.


See also

* Indian Ocean Rim Association


References


External links

*
World Bank Regional Institutions
* {{Authority control Indian Ocean Intergovernmental organizations Organizations established in 1982 United Nations General Assembly observers 1982 establishments in Mauritius