The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established.

On 7 March 1997, IORA was formally launched in Port Louis, Mauritius.

It was established by 14 founding member states—Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Oman, Yemen, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa and Mauritius.

The organisation was created through the signing of the Charter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation.

The initiative had earlier begun as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative in March 1995 in Mauritius.
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