Briefing Paper

South Africa’s Indian Ocean Rim Association Legacy: A More Inclusive and open IORA

South Africa is serving as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), a 21-member regional organisation with significant potential to contribute to enhanced collaboration within the Indian Ocean region. While efforts to revitalise IORA have been underway for several years, South Africa has a strategic opportunity to consolidate and deepen this process. The greatest opportunities lie not in thematic or sectoral initiatives, but rather in supporting institutional and procedural reforms to enhance openness, transparency and effectiveness.