Indian Ocean Academic Forum established in Padang, W Sumatra

Padang, W Sumatra, March 12 (Antara) - An Indian Ocean Academic Forum (IOAF) comprising a number of higher education institutions in Indonesia was established in Padang, West Sumatra, on March 12, 2015. "The forum aims to bring together all Indonesian academics to explore and harness the potential of the Indian Ocean," the Executive Director of IOAF, Prof Indra Jaya, said here at the launch of the forum on Thursday. The declaration of the forum's establishment was held at Bung Hatta University. A number of representatives from higher education institutions, such as Andalas University, University of North Sumatra and Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), attended the event. Representatives from the University of Lampung, Brawijaya University, the University of Bengkulu, Tri Sakti University, the University of Padang, Malaysia Technology University as well as several private and government sectors were also present. According to Indra, the Indian Ocean has been a bone of contention between several world countries because of its strategic position that facilitates the trade and supply of the world's oil and mining lanes. "Earlier, only the United States was interested. Now, China and Australia are also interested in the Indian Ocean," remarked Indra, who also serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine at IPB. He added that in addition to trade, the Indian Ocean also has fisheries potential as rich as seven oceans put together. Therefore, the exploration and exploitation of fisheries potential in the Indian Ocean can be carried out with the help of researches and studies. "Their research reports can be reference sources for stakeholders interested in developing potential fisheries resources," Indra noted, adding that in the near future, the IOAF will conduct seminars at a number of universities to raise awareness about the importance of the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the Rector of Bung Hatta University, Niki Lukviarman, said although the Indian Ocean has great potential, it has not been explored optimally. "We need scientific ideas to explore the potential of marine resources in the Indian Ocean and use them to improve the welfare of the people," he pointed out. The establishment of the IOAF has been in accordance with President Joko Widodo's development policies for realizing the national maritime axis.(*)