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class=oe_overlay id=oe_overlay></div><section class="content-wrapper cf"><div class=about-intro><div class=photo><img alt class=img-responsive src=/media/2895/ins_4085-min.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=890&height=498&rnd=132227929950000000></div><div class=pagetitle><div class=breadcrumb><ul><li><a href=/> Home </a><li>\<li><a href=/en/about/about-iora> About </a><li>\<li class=active>IORA Chair</ul></div><h1>IORA Chair</h1></div></div><div class=body-content><div class=cont680px><h2>The Council of Ministers, on voluntary offer by Member States, elects a Chair of the Association for a period of two years. If there is no voluntary offer, the Chair is elected on the basis of geographical consideration.</h2><br><br><p>The term of office of the incoming Chair commences at the beginning of the meeting of the Council of Ministers, when the term of office of the incumbent Chair expires. <br> <br> The incoming Chair is the Member State that served as the Vice-Chair of the Association during the term of office of the incumbent Chair. <br> <br> The role of the Chair is to arrange, coordinate, host and preside over the meetings of the Council, the meetings of the Committee of Senior Officials and any other meetings as mandated by the Council. <br> <br> The following listed Member States below are the States which occupied the position of Chair in the years since the creation of the Association. <br> <br> <br><div class=table-about><div class=desc></div><div class=tb><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol1>Year</div><div class=tbcol1>Chair</div><div class=tbcol1><strong> 2019 (19th Ministerial Meeting) </strong></div><div class=tbcol1><strong> United Arab Emirates </strong></div><div class=tbcol1>2018 (18th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol1>South Africa</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2017 (17th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>South Africa</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2016 (16th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Indonesia</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2015 (15th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Indonesia</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2014 (14th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Australia</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2013 (13th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Australia</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2012 (12th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>India</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2011 (11th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>India</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2010 (10th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Yemen</div><div class=tbcol2></div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2009 (9th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Yemen</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2008 (8th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Iran</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2007 (7th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Iran</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2006 (6th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Iran</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2005 (No Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Sri Lanka</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2004 (5th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Sri Lanka</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2003 (4th Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Sri Lanka</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2002</div><div class=tbcol2>Oman</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2001 (3rd Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Oman</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>2000 (Extraordinary Council Meeting in Muscat, Oman to approve instrument of acceptance for new members and Headquarters Agreement)</div><div class=tbcol2>Mozambique</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>1999 (2nd Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Mozambique</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>1998</div><div class=tbcol2>Mauritius</div></div><div class=tbrow><div class=tbcol2>1997(1st Ministerial Meeting)</div><div class=tbcol2>Mauritius</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=feat-blocks><div class=cont><ul></ul></div></div><footer><div class=flag-cn><ul><li><span class=tooltip> Australia </span> <img alt=Australia src=/images/svg/flag/australia.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Bangladesh </span> <img alt=Bangladesh src=/images/svg/flag/bangladesh.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Comoros </span> <img alt=Comoros src=/images/svg/flag/comores.svg><li><span class=tooltip> France </span> <img alt=Comoros src=/images/svg/flag/france.svg><li><span class=tooltip> India </span> <img alt=India src=/images/svg/flag/india.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Indonesia </span> <img alt=Indonesia src=/images/svg/flag/indonesia.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Iran </span> <img alt=Iran src=/images/svg/flag/iran.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Kenya </span> <img alt=Kenya src=/images/svg/flag/kenya.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Madagascar </span> <img alt=Madagascar src=/images/svg/flag/madagascar.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Malaysia </span> <img alt=Malaysia src=/images/svg/flag/malaysia.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Maldives </span> <img alt=Maldives src=/images/svg/maldivesflat.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Mauritius </span> <img alt=Mauritius src=/images/svg/flag/mauritius.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Mozambique </span> <img alt=Mozambique src=/images/svg/flag/mozambique.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Oman </span> <img alt=Oman src=/images/svg/flag/oman.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Seychelles </span> <img alt=Seychelles src=/images/svg/flag/seychelles.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Singapore </span> <img alt=Singapore src=/images/svg/flag/singapore.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Somalia </span> <img alt=Somalia src=/images/svg/flag/somalia.svg><li><span class=tooltip> South Africa </span> <img alt="South Africa"src=/images/svg/flag/south-africa.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Sri Lanka </span> <img alt="Sri Lanka"src=/images/svg/flag/sri-lanka.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Tanzania </span> <img alt=Tanzania src=/images/svg/flag/tanzania.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Thailand </span> <img alt=Thailand src=/images/svg/flag/thailand.svg><li><span class=tooltip> UAE </span> <img alt=UAE src=/images/svg/flag/uae.svg><li><span class=tooltip> Yemen </span> <img alt=Yemen src=/images/svg/flag/yemen.svg></ul></div><div class=copy>© 2017 IORA Ltd. 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