Indian Ocean Commission

The Indian Ocean Commission (French: Commission de l'Océan Indien, COI) is an intergovernmental organization that links African Indian Ocean nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas region of France), and Seychelles.[2] There are also seven observers: China, India, Japan, the Sovereign Order of Malta,[3] the European Union, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the United Nations.[4][5]

Indian Ocean Commission
Commission de l'Océan Indien
Map of members (including mainland France)
AbbreviationCOI
MottoUn avenir à bâtir ensemble
("A future to build together")
Formation1982
Founded atPort Louis, Mauritius
TypeIntergovernmental organization
Membership
 Comoros
 Madagascar
 Mauritius
 Réunion (France)
 Seychelles
Official language
French
Secretary General
Hamada Madi[1]
Main organ
Summit of Heads of States
Websitecommissionoceanindien.org

The commission was created in 1982 in Port-Louis, Mauritius, and institutionalised in 1984. The secretariat is based in Mauritius. The current secretary-general is Hamada Madi.[2]

Objectives

The COI works on four pillars which have been adopted in 2005 by the Summit of Heads of States:

  • Political and diplomatic cooperation
  • Economic and commercial cooperation
  • Sustainable development in a globalisation context, cooperation in the field of agriculture, maritime fishing, and the conservation of resources and ecosystems
  • Strengthening of the regional cultural identity, cooperation in cultural, scientific, technical, educational and judicial fields.

The original ideas were to encourage trade and tourism. Recently, cooperation has focused on marine conservation and fisheries management. The COI has funded a number of regional and national conservation and alternative livelihoods projects through ReCoMAP, Regional Programme for the Sustainable Management of the Coastal Zones of the Countries of the Indian Ocean (PROGECO in French). This project ended in 2011. An example of these projects is project to catalyze the development of sea cucumber and seaweed aquaculture in South West Madagascar with the NGOs, Transmad, Blue Ventures, and Madagascar Holothuria.

Administration
Hamada Madi, Secretary General of the COI

The commission has a Secretariat which is located in Mauritius and headed by a Secretary General. The current Secretary General, Hamada Madi, is a former President of Comoros who was appointed in January 2016.[6] Political and strategic orientations of the organisation are under the responsibility of the Council of Ministers which meets annually. The latest Council of Ministers in January 2013. The president is appointed from each member state in rotation; the current president is from Comoros. The highest level of the organisation's structure is the Summit of Heads of States, whose last meeting was held in Madagascar in 2005.

References
  1. "France and Comoros". France Diplomatie. French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  2. "IOC and the EU". European External Action Service. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  3. "The Sovereign Order of Malta signs Cooperation Agreement with the Indian Ocean Commission". www.orderofmalta.int. Sovereign Order of Malta. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  4. Bagchi, Indrani (6 March 2020). "India accepted as observer in Indian Ocean Commision". Times of India. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  5. "Membres observateurs de la COI". Commission de l'océan Indien. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  6. Caslin, Olivier (15 July 2016). "Hamada Madi Boléro : "Les pays de l'Océan indien doivent s'impliquer davantage"". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2019.
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