Fifth Economic Forum of the Indian Ocean - October 6th -8th 2009 - Mayotte

octobre 14th, 2009 Posted in France, Indian Ocean

Le compte rendu général du Forum a été publié dans le Bulletin de la CCI de Mayotte.

This Forum with the participation of all the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Indian Ocean was held in Mayotte at the initiative of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Forum was opened by Dominique Bussereau French State Secretary in charge of the transport which represented the French Republic in the Indian Ocean. The opening of M. Dominique Bussereau has been introduced by an allocution of M. Marday Venkatasamy, President of the Union of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Indian Ocean. The wellcome address was done by M. Serge Castel, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mayotte.

During the Forum several Workshops were developed:

1 - The Economic Prospective and the Competitive Intelligence in the Indian Ocean. The challenge of the regional integration. This workshop was held under the Presidence of the CCI of the Reunion and the CCI of Mauritius.

The speakers were:
M. Patrick Gilabert, representant of the UNIDO for the Indian Ocean: Technological experiments in Technology Foresight
Professor Henri Dou, World Expert in Intelligence Competitive and Regional Development (profile H. Dou)
M. Mario Sandoval, Vice President of the International Francophony Association of Economic Intelligence, Strategic Study observatory
M. Achim Shaffert, European Union, Regional Economic Integration
M. Raj Mohabeer, “Chargé de Mission responsable des dossiers économiques”, Indian Ocean Commission.

During their presentations, M. Gilabert underlined the role of the UNIDO in favour of the industrial development and point out the benefit of the? technological foresight applied to the region potential. The Professor Henri Dou presented various aspects of Competitive Intelligence and innovation and underlined the role of information in innovation development. He presented the key role of patent information (Using the Matheo-Patent system of APA)  to find new opportunities as well as the program of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) for the development of the SMEs. M. Mario Sandoval show various results dealing with Strategic Observatories in the Mediterranean Region as well as in the Caraïbes. (see the? protocol of development of strategic observatories with the Assembly of the French Chambers of Commerce and Industry ACFCI).? At the end of the presentations a general discussion was done and the participation of the assistance was very active. One of the conclusions was that the globalization offers different opportunities of development but a strong political will is necessary as well as a lot of work to achieve the goals and the strategies. The clusters is one of the better solution to develop various opportunities in the region.

2 - The fishing industry in the Indian Ocean - Potential and pitfal


The workshop was done under the presidence of the Port’s association of the Indian Ocean and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Seychelles

The speakers were:
M. Raj Mohabeer, “Chargé de Mission responsable des dossiers économiques”, Indian Ocean Commission
M Evert Liewes Chairman Seafood Council of the Mauritius Export Association
M. Erik Rotsaert Aquaculture expert of the Center of the Enterprises Development
M. Ronan LeGoff, Ifremer
M. Xavier Nicvolas Expert IOC Indian Ocean Commission

 Two other worshops were also developed: Tourism: which regional attractiveness, under the presidence of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Mayotte and Comores, with as speakers  M. Raj Mohabeer, General Secretary of the Indian Ocean Commission, The National Tourism Offices of Mayotte and Madagascar, Mrs Nathalie Hoareau, Atout France, M. Bernard Ould Yahoui, Economic Mission of the French Embassy in Mauritus and the? Aerial and Maritime services in the Indian Ocean under the presidence of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Mayotte and Madagascar, with as speakers? M. Raj Mohabeer General Secretary of the Indian Ocean Commission, M. Pierre Yves Bissauge, General Direction of the Civil Aviation, the representants of Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Air Madagascar, Air France, Air Austral, Comores Aviation, Corsair Fly plus the presentation of a report upon the creation of regional maritime company.

During the conclusion of the meeting it was stated that the next on going Forum will be held in Seychelles in 2010