Background
The Indian Ocean Rim defines a
distinctive area in international politics consisting of coastal
states bordering the Indian Ocean. It is a region of much
diversity, in culture, race, religion, economic development, and
strategic interests. The countries vary in the size of their
populations, economies, trade, and technological development and in
the composition of their GDP. A number of sub-regions are evident,
for example Southern and Eastern Africa, Gulf of Aden, Oman Sea,
South-Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australasia. It also includes a
number of regional organisations, such as ASEAN, GCC, SAARC, and
SADCC.
An Economic Community of
Nations
For many centuries, the countries, economies and peoples of the
Indian Ocean have been bound together in an informal, cooperative
economic community. Traders, seamen, fishermen, and pilgrims
traversed the Indian Ocean and its numerous ports, enabling a
vibrant trading network to emerge.
Impact of
De-Colonisation
After the Second World War, the decolonisation process ended
British hegemony in the Indian Ocean. Superpower rivalry in the
region escalated, due to the strategic importance of the area. The
common historical experience of European imperialism had left a
lasting impression on the leaders of states in the Indian Ocean
region - of a sense of shared identity. The rediscovery of the past
littoral economic, social and cultural community, of an
ocean-centric regional co-operative grouping serving as a
bridgehead between Africa, Asia and Australasia, therefore seemed
only natural.
In 1995, during a visit to India,
President Nelson Mandela stated that "the natural urge of the facts
of history and geography should broaden itself to include the
concept of an Indian Ocean Rim for socio-economic co-operation and
other peaceful endeavors. Recent changes in the international
system demand that the countries of the Indian Ocean shall become a
single platform."
The Mighty Indian
Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the world's third largest Ocean. It carries
half of the world's container ships, one third of the bulk cargo
traffic, two-thirds of the world's oil shipments. It is a lifeline
of international trade and economy. The region is woven together by
trade routes and commands control of the major sea-lanes. The
Indian Ocean Rim constitutes between a quarter and a third of the
world's population (close to two billion) which makes it a massive
market. It is rich in strategic and precious minerals and metals
and other natural resources, valuable marine resources ranging from
food fisheries to raw material and energy for industries. It has
abundant agricultural wealth in terms of the variety and mass of
arable land and has significant human resources and technological
capabilities. Many countries of the Rim are becoming globally
competitive and are developing new capacities, which can be jointly
harnessed through regional co-operation efforts.