Ocean Sciences Centre to be set up

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the setting up of a Centre of Excellence on Ocean Sciences and Environment.

The proposal by the Minister of External Affairs Prof. G. L. Peiris, to set up the Indian Ocean Rim Association's (IORA) Centre of Excellence on Ocean Sciences and Environment in Sri Lanka in consultation and collaboration with local stakeholders, the IORA Secretariat and IORA Member States and to proceed with the related activities was approved by the Cabinet.

Sri Lanka hosted a workshop for IORA members in June this year to discuss the modalities of setting up the Centre of Excellence (CoE). The Ministry of External Affairs with the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) organised the workshop.The proposed Centre envisions building scientific and technological capacity in ocean science research and sustainable collaborative use of ocean resources. It will support regional collaboration among Indian Ocean Rim countries and serve as a partnership for institutions that support scientific and socio-economic research in relation to the Indian Ocean region.

The Indian Ocean Rim region, which is home to nearly one-third of the world's population, carries high economic significance due to its strategic location.The 20-member IORA aims at providing maximum opportunities to develop shared interests and reap mutual benefits and exchange information on trade and investment and also expand intra-regional trade among countries in the group.