Oriental Association for Regional Cooperation

Oriental Association for Regional Cooperation

• Mahanan:	Kṣētrīya sahayōga kō lāgi ōri'ēnṭala saṅgha
  Ramil:	Pirāntiya ottuḻaippukkāṉa ōriyaṇṭal acōciyēṣaṉ
  Telugu:	Prāntīya sahakāraṁ kōsaṁ ōriyaṇṭal asōsiyēṣan

Flag of the Oriental Association of Regional Cooperation
Member states     Observer states
Abbreviation	OARC
Founded at	Kotowari City, Kotowari
Type	Intergovernmental Organisation
Purpose	Political Cooperation, Peacekeeping
Headquarters	Alaghon, Tamurin
Official language	Anglish (Official)
• Forum Chair	Annual Rotation
• Secretary-General	Eshwar Nethakan

The Oriental Association for Regional Cooperation (OARC) s an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between countries and territories of the Oriental Sub-continent, specifically the Central Oriental region. The organisation is made up of Kotowari, Tamurin, Mahana and Mekabiri who were all founding states from February 8th 2016. Formerly known as the Central Oriental Forum (COF), it was rebranded in 2016 as the 'Oriental Association for Regional Cooperation'.

The organisations purpose is: "to work in support of Forum member governments, to enhance the economic and social well-being of the people of Orient by fostering cooperation between governments and between international agencies, and by representing the interests of Association members in ways agreed by the OARC". It's decisions are implemented by the Oriental Region Forum Secretariat (ORFS), which grew out of the Oriental Bureau for Economic Co-operation (OEC). As well as its role in harmonising regional positions on various political and policy issues, the Forum Secretariat has technical programmes in economic development, transport and trade.

History

Before rebranding in 2016, the OARC was known as the Central Oriental Forum (COF). The Forum grew out of a proposal from Kotowaran Yatharvan Krishnan for a political forum to create closer relations between the split central Oriental states in the early 2000s. The idea was supported by Kotowari, who eventually got the support of Tamurin, Mekabiri and Mahana, all who had been struggling throughout the 20th century. The first meeting of the Central Oriental Forum was initiated by Tamurin and held in Alaghon, Tamurin, from 5–7 August 2001 with attendants of the following three countries: the President of Mahana, the President of Kotowari and the Vice-President of Mekabiri. It was a private and informal discussion of a wide range of issues of common concern, concentrating on matters directly affecting the daily lives of the people of Orient, devoting particular attention to trade, shipping, tourism, and education. Afterwards this meeting was held annually in member countries and areas in turn.

In 2016, the 15th Central Oriental Forum decided to be renamed and rebranded the organization to the Oriental Association for Regional Cooperation, to better account for areas outside central Orient which they plan to build out into in the future. It is said, by the Secretary-General, that the rebranding was necessary for future growth of the organisation.