SAEON’s Egagasini Node and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) co-hosted the ninth SA IORAG meeting on the Howard Campus in May 2024. This marked the first occasion that the SA IORAG meeting was hosted at a partner institution. Going forward, the annual meetings will continue to be co-hosted with stakeholders.

The event was attended by academic, policy and business stakeholders from across South Africa, including the national Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Department of Transport (DoT) and a representative from the South African Maritime Safety Authority​ (SAMSA).

The meeting was opened by Mr KGame Molope (North-West University), Chair of the SA IORAG. This was followed by remarks from Professor Nirmala Gopal (UKZN host) and Mr Royce Kuzwayo (DIRCO). The next sessions focused on feedback from the SA IORAG Secretariat and members of the academic group, as well as a presentation from the DoT. DIRCO and DoT indicated several areas of interest which could benefit from the academic community’s assistance. The meeting ended with open discussions and reflections on the day.

A key outcome of the meeting was the recognition that the SA IORAG provides a valuable platform for science-policy engagement, not only on the priorities of IORA, but also areas of national interest. The SA IORAG remains a vibrant community platform.