The 20th Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing System (IOGOOS) and Integrated Annual Meetings kicked off this morning at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port Louis. The five-day event brings together around fifty local and international delegates from government agencies and research institutions to deliberate on the advancement of operational oceanography and foster regional cooperation among Indian Ocean coastal States.
This high-level meeting is hosted by the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration, in collaboration with IOGOOS—a regional alliance of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) comprising Mauritius, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, and other member countries of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell; the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office (Rodrigues and Outer Islands Division), Mrs Bilkiss Rajahbalee-Cader; Director General Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration and Exploration, Mr Rezah Badal; Interim Chair of Indian ocean Global Ocean Observing System, Dr Brett Molony; and the Director Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Dr Balakrishnan Nair, were among the attendees.
In his keynote address, Minister Boolell highlighted Mauritius’s strategic transition from a small island developing State to an emerging ocean State, emphasizing the ocean’s vast potential for sustainable growth. He reiterated the Government’s strong commitment to the blue economy as a key pillar of national development, essential for long-term food security, energy independence, job creation and climate resilience.
He also called for increased investment in port infrastructure to attract additional maritime activity in Mauritian waters and acknowledged India’s ongoing technical support, underscoring the multifaceted India–Mauritius partnership rooted in cultural, scientific, and historical ties.
Mauritius, the Minister noted, is honoured to host this significant event during the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). He expressed hope for enhanced regional and international collaboration to strengthen ocean observation capabilities and advance shared goals in sustainable ocean governance.
Mr Badal, for his part, stressed the importance of a science-based approach to marine resource management and underlined the forthcoming ocean observatory e-platform, which will centralise reliable oceanographic data. This tool will aid in science-driven decision-making across disaster risk reduction, marine spatial planning, and broader blue economy initiatives.
Dr. Nair reaffirmed India’s commitment to the region, noting that India is prepared to deploy additional observation systems in support of GOOS countries. He emphasised the value of ocean observation and modeling in delivering operational services that support both the blue economy and disaster preparedness.
Dr. Molony outlined the urgency of building resilience among ocean States in the wake of the climate change phenomenon. He called upon IOGOOS members to strengthen collaboration and develop concrete programmes for the implementation of GOOS initiatives throughout the Indian Ocean.
Source : GIS Mauritius
