Almotamar.net, Saba - Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al Qirbi said on Friday issues related to economic, scientific and technological cooperation would top the agenda of the 10th session of the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).

The session will start Saturday in Sana'a with the participation of delegates from the 18 member states.

Meetings of IOR-ARC senior officials, business forum, trade and investment group (the main committee and sub-committee) and report committee will be held over the six-day session and on the final day the meeting of Foreign Ministry officials will be held.

Al-Qirbi said the session would be of great significance since it will address issues including the topic of cooperation among the countries with about 2 billion population and immense wealth.

Yemen, which will hand over the rotating presidency of the association to India, will chair the session.

Al-Qirbi also said Yemen has been interested during its presidency in seeking better all ways to achieve the association goals and boost economic and investment cooperation with the aim to achieve sustainable development in the member states.

For his part, Director of international organizations and conferences at the Foreign Ministry Abdul Elah Hajar said the agenda includes the topics of setting up a maritime transport council of the association, discussing the study submitted by Oman on tourism investment opportunities among the member states and activating the fish and science and technology centers in Oman and Iran.

The topics of coordination for fighting human and agricultural pandemics, the trade preference system, boosting tourism and investment and strengthening the ties between businessmen and commerce chambers will be discussed as well, he said.

Furthermore, the session will address proposed amendments to the
association charter and its bylaws and financial and administrative
regulations as well as issues related to environment, livestock, and food and fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden, he added.

The Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) was founded in 1997 by Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, India, Iran, South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Kenya.

There are also four countries participating in its meetings as monitors called Partners of Dialogue. The four countries are the United Kingdom, Egypt, France and Japan.

The association was founded for economic and trade purposes and has no political goals or positions over international developments and issues.

Among its key goals are seeking better free trade and boosting dialogue at international circles with the goal of having one voice over issues of mutual interest.