The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)

The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) is an intergovernmental organization which groups the Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comores and France/Reunion Island. It has as its main objectives to promote sustainable development of its member states, which share a similar history, and culture, as well as common interests such as the changing environment. Through its regional cooperation projects, IOC forges strong bonds of closeness and solidarity among its member states. Their representatives, experts and technicians have come to better know and appreciate working together, exchanging info and sharing experiences.

It was the Port-Louis conference, held from the 18th to the 21st January 1982, which set the fundamental principal of a cooperation agreement, signed on the 10th January 1984, in Victoria, Seychelles. The initially signatory member states of the Victoria Agreement, establishing the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) were Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles. Comoros and France/Reunion Island joined the organization two years later, on the 10th January 1986.

The IOC defines its cooperation in the following areas:

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• Political and diplomatic cooperation o
• Trade and economic cooperation o
• Agriculture, fisheries and conservation of resources and biodiversity o
• Cooperation in the field of Cultural, scientific, technical and judiciary

Since its creation, the IOC has developed actions and initiated projects in a number of areas such as the environment, tourism, intra regional trade, fisheries, telecommunications, culture, climate change, health and gender issues. Financing for these projects has been by the EU, through the European Development Fund (EDF) as well as from other donor agencies, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the World Bank, the African Development Bank (ADB) and the ‘Agence Françoise de Development (AFD)’.

The IOC is the sole organization with a specific island configuration. As such, the organization has a leading role in the promotion of specific small island stakes. As an illustrating fact, the IOC is chair of the AIMS group – Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Southern Sea of China. The IOC has also recently been accorded observer status of the African Union.

The Seychelles handed over the Presidency of the COI to Comores, at the 28th Council of Ministers, held in the 17th January 2013. On the occasion, the IOC General Secretary, Mr. Jean-Claude I’Estrac, congratulated the dynamic and efficient presidency of the IOC by the Seychelles, through Minister Jean-Paul Adam. Under the Seychelles presidency, the IOC has made remarkable achievements such as, the setting up of the decentralized IOC piracy cell, in Seychelles, the many regional development programs such as the ‘Vanilla Islands’ project and its active participation in the Madagascar Political crisis roadmap.