This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Avatar photo

Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

10th October 2014

Indian Ocean Rim Association ministers meet in Perth

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is not one of the most well known international regional groupings. But it is of growing significance. The 20 countries who flank the world’s third largest ocean represent more than a quarter  of the world’s population, and include African, Arab and Asian nations. Around half the world’s cargo ships and two thirds of oil shipments sail through the Indian Ocean. IORA copy

So it is not surprising that Australia, the current chair of IORA, takes the organization very seriously. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop chaired the annual Council meeting of IORA ministers this week in her home town of Perth, “Australia’s Indian Ocean Rim capital” as she described it. The grouping is clearly dear to her heart; she said that she had already visited half of the IORA member states (including the IORA Secretariat in Mauritius) and expected to visit the rest during 2015.

The region matters to Britain too: we are one of six Dialogue Partner countries which also participate in these meetings. I attended, together with Richard Morris, Head of the FCO’s Pacific Department, alongside Ministers and senior officials from around the region.

A key theme of this year’s gathering was the “Blue Economy” – the commercial opportunities arising from the Indian Ocean. Ministers had a discussion with business representatives from several regional countries, including Woodside CEO Peter Coleman, about how to set the right conditions for investment. Alongside the Ministerial meeting, there were a number of business events, in which the UK Trade & Investment team from our Perth consulate participated.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

Follow Paul

Tags

australia Indian Ocean Rim Association IORA Julie Bishop