T

he Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) has inked a deal with the Non-Aligned Movement’s Center for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM-CSSTC) to conduct training programs together next year.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday by IORA secretary-general KV Bagirath and CSSTC chairwoman Prianti Gagarin and witnessed by Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi at her office in Jakarta.

Once the collaborative framework is set up, the two organizations are to cooperate in areas like the blue economy, small and medium enterprise financing, women’s economic empowerment, renewable energy and disaster mitigation management.

Prianti told The Jakarta Post afterwards that she would first seek the approval of the NAM Governing Council to determine what programs are to be offered in 2018.