Bangladesh, Nepal discuss cooperation at Indian Ocean Conference

Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal held a
meeting on Friday (10 April) with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman
on the margins of the Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis, Mauritius.
Both sides expressed satisfaction
over the cordial state of bilateral relations.
They deliberated on diverse sectors
to further consolidate cooperation and enhance mutual ties.
Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir was also present at the
meeting, an official told UNB.
Foreign Minister Khalilur is now in
Port Louis, the capital of the East African country Mauritius, to attend the
9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC-2026), which began on Friday.
It brought together leaders,
policymakers, and experts from across the Indian Ocean Region to deliberate on
shared responsibilities, cooperative frameworks, and the future of regional
governance.
On the sidelines, Khalilur is
expected to hold discussions with counterparts from other participating
nations, a senior official told UNB, noting that this is also an opportunity to
seek support for Bangladesh's candidacy for the presidency of the 81st United
Nations General Assembly (2026–27).
The India Foundation, in association with the Government of Mauritius and the
Ministry of External Affairs of India, is organising the 9th Indian Ocean
Conference.
The Foreign Minister had a number of meetings in New Delhi on Wednesday and
reached Mauritius on Thursday.
Indian External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar is also attending the 9th Indian Ocean Conference.
He will deliver the keynote address
at the event. The visit, India said, underscores its 'Neighbourhood First'
policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South.
The Indian Ocean Conference was
started in 2016 by the India Foundation in association with think tanks and
institutions from the region, with participation from 30 countries.
In recent years, the conference has
emerged as a flagship forum for countries to discuss and deliberate on issues
of mutual interest.
















