The first-ever Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders’ Summit formally kicked off here Tuesday morning under the theme ‘Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean’.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is also the current chairman of IORA, formally opened the summit at Jakarta Convention Center in the presence of heads of state and government of 21 coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the opening ceremony of the summit.

Representatives of seven dialogue partners of IORA as well as a good number of invited guests attended the inaugural function.  Local artistes performed the traditional dance beating Gendang Papua, a small traditional drum of Indonesia.

Later, they presented drums to the heads of state and government, including the Bangladesh Prime Minister who later beat the drums for a while before the guests.

President of South Africa Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of Yemen Abdrabbu Mansur Hadi, President or Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Malaysian Prime Minister Seri Najib Razak, Vice President of Comoros Azali Assoumani, Vice President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton, Prime Minister of Australia Malcom Turnbull also joined the conference.

Indonesia is hosting the Leaders’ Summit in commemoration of the 20^th Anniversary of the IORA, a grouping of nations having coastlines with the world’s third largest ocean.

The three-day summit is being held in Indonesia for the first time since the launching of IORA in 1997.

Earlier on her arrival at the summit venue, Sheikh Hasina was received by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday. Later, the Prime Minister joined a photo session of the heads of state and government of IORA.

The summit has brought together the leaders of 21-member association, seven dialogue partners and individuals working for promoting cooperation and closer interaction in the region.  The summit will adopt a strategic action plan on countering violent extremism and terrorism.

Members of the association are- Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen, while the dialogue partners are China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the USA.