Mauritius elected Vice-Chair of UNESCO-IOC’s Indian Ocean Sub-Commission

Mauritius has strengthened its standing in regional ocean governance following the election of Dr Rezah M. Badal as Vice-Chair of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s Sub-Commission for the Central Indian Ocean (IOCINDIO).

The election took place during IOCINDIO’s second intergovernmental session, held in Bali from 12 to 14 October 2026, alongside the election of India’s Dr T. M. Balakrishnan Nair as Chair and Kuwait’s Dr Turki Al-Saeed as the other Vice-Chair.

The appointment provides Mauritius a senior leadership role in a body that coordinates marine scientific research, ocean observations, capacity development and ocean-information services across the Central Indian Ocean.

It also reflects growing recognition of Mauritius as a reliable partner in advancing ocean science and sustainable development in a region whose economies, food security and climate resilience depend heavily on healthy marine ecosystems.

For Mauritius, the vice-chairmanship offers a strategic platform to promote regional cooperation on issues of direct national importance, including marine spatial planning, coastal resilience, fisheries management, ocean forecasting, disaster preparedness and the protection of biodiversity.

As an island State, Mauritius can use the position to ensure that the priorities of Small Island Developing States are reflected in IOCINDIO’s scientific agenda and regional programmes.

Mauritius values the collaborative effort of all the Member States and look forward to working closely with them.

Dr Badal’s election is expected to support closer collaboration among Indian Ocean States in sharing data, building technical capacity and developing ocean services that inform policy and coastal communities. It also reinforces Mauritius’ active engagement with UNESCO-IOC and its commitment to science-based, sustainable ocean management.

Source : GIS Mauritius