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eaders of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) endorsed on Tuesday the Jakarta Concord, which forms the basis of cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, and the IORA Action Plan 2017 to 2021, which provides concrete guidelines for member states going forward.

Both documents were the first of their kind for the association and were expected to “enable [IORA countries] to respond to current and future challenges,” Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said.

The Jakarta Concord enshrines IORA’s six priority areas: promoting maritime safety and security; enhancing trade and investment cooperation; promoting sustainable and responsible fisheries management and development; enhancing disaster risk management; strengthening academic, science and technology cooperation; and fostering tourism and cultural exchanges.

Additionally, it also encourages member states to harness and develop cross-cutting issues and priority objectives such as the blue economy, women’s empowerment and promotion of democracy, and the broadening of IORA’s external engagement and strengthening of its institutions.

To complement the Concord, member states endorsed the Action Plan, which sets out concrete actions to be taken in the short, medium and long terms, and “provides clear guidance on where we want IORA to be,” Retno said.

“The Action Plan was a significant milestone in IORA’s journey, and it was the first action plan since the establishment of the association 20 years ago,” she added.

Among the standout points from the Concord, IORA member states agreed to ensure the freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea “as [a] constitution for the oceans.”

The move to promote regional maritime safety and security has been underexplored for the traditionally economic-minded group of Indian Ocean nations, who first banded together in response to the Asian financial crisis of the mid-1990s.

In this context, the Action Plan lays out follow-up initiatives such as establishing a working group on maritime safety and security in the short-term; finalizing a region-wide agreement on search and rescue in the medium-term; and exploring the possibility of a surveillance network for information exchange on maritime transportation systems.

IORA leaders also inked the Declaration on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, a 10-point declaration in which IORA member states denounce all acts of terrorism and violent extremism, and cooperate “by promoting positive messages of respect, tolerance, co-existence, inclusion, diversity and social cohesion.”

“The declaration serves as a joint call to take a firm stand in countering terrorism and violent extremism, which is increasingly apparent in our lives,” Retno said.

“This declaration is a reflection of our determination to maintain peace and stability, and to promote positive messages of tolerance, diversity and moderation in the Indian Ocean region.”

The inaugural IORA Leaders Summit was preceded by a Business Summit on Tuesday, where business leaders from the region finalized the Joint Declaration of the IORA Business Community in Promoting Just and Sustainable Economic Growth.

The three-day, inaugural summit was held in part to commemorate the group’s 20th anniversary.