New Delhi [India], August 18 : The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking approval of the competent authority to enable Sanjiv Ranjan to take up the foreign assignment as Secretary General, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Secretariat, Mauritius for three years, with effect from January 1, 2025.
Ranjan is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1993 batch.
The office memorandum of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pension reads, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of Ministry of External Affairs seeking approval of the competent authority to enable Shri Sanjiv Ranjan, FS (1993) to take up the foreign assignment as Secretary General Indian Ocean Rim Association (IDRA), Secretariat, Mauritius for a period of three years w.e.f. 01.01.2025, including the period up to his superannuation, ie, 31.01.2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier."
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an inter-governmental organisation formed in 1997 to foster regional economic cooperation. IORA has evolved into the peak regional group spanning the Indian Ocean, according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade press release. The IORA Secretariat is based in Mauritius and is headed by a fixed-term Secretary-General.
IORA has 23 member states - India, Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
It comprises 12 dialogue partners - China, Egypt, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, South Korea, the UK and the US. IORA became an observer to the UN General Assembly and the African Union in 2015.
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