Symposium organized by IRIS and the University of La Réunion, with the support of the French Agency for Development (AFD), and in partnership with Le Journal des Archipels.
The symposium will be organized around three thematic roundtables:
- The Indian Ocean, A Region in Transition
- Regional Blue Economy Dynamics
- Sustainable Development and Innovative Cooperation
This conference will offer live automatic translation provided by Zoom.
This symposium will bring together researchers, institutional representatives, and public and private development stakeholders to discuss the issues surrounding the role of the Indian Ocean—more specifically the Southwest Indian Ocean—in the Indo-Pacific region. It aims to provide contextual insights into the geopolitical challenges of this unique space, which constitutes the immediate environment of the French territory of Réunion. The symposium will analyze the most significant regional dynamics, including challenges related to the management of the regional blue economy, as well as some of the responses and cooperation efforts implemented in the face of numerous island vulnerabilities.
This event seeks to offer an opportunity to bring together diverse expertise and experiences to better understand the strategic, economic, human, and ecological issues facing the Southwest Indian Ocean basin and its contribution to the global transition toward more sustainable development.
The symposium will present an overview through three roundtable discussions. Without aiming to be exhaustive, it strives to highlight the contribution of social sciences combined with the experience and practice of field actors to foster dialogue and exchange.
Programme
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From 08:30 To 09:00
Welcoming the Public
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From 09:00 To 09:30
Welcome Addresses
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Jean-François Hoarau
President of the University of La Réunion, Professor of Economics
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Patricia Aubras
Regional Director in the Indian Ocean, French Agency for Development (AFD)
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Marianne Péron-Doise
Senior Research Fellow, co-Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme, Director of the Indo-Pacific Geopolitical Observatory, IRIS
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From 09:30 To 09:50
Geopolitical Perspectives (video)
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Pascal Boniface
Director, IRIS
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From 09:50 To 10:30
Opening Adresses
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Jean-Claude Brunet (Online)
Ambassador, Delegate for Regional Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Zone, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
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From 10:30 To 12:00
The Indian Ocean, a Region in Transition
This roundtable wishes to unpack the local and global geopolitical environment in which the Southwest Indian Ocean, its interactions with surrounding powers, its resilience facing existing tensions as well as its capacity to assert a specific island based approach and its definition of an Indian Ocean identity in contrast to other outlooks on international relations.
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Darshana Mozinder Baruah (in English - Online)
Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Indo-Pacific Defence and Strategy, International Institute for Strategic Studies-Asia; “Competition and Rivalry in the Indian Ocean”
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Isabelle Saint-Mézard
University Professor and Deputy Director of the IFG Lab (French Institute of Geopolitics, Paris); “The Indian Ocean and Its Place in the Main Indo-Pacific Strategies”
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Wilfrid Bertile
Regional Advisor for La Réunion, Former Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission, La Réunion; “Indian Ocean-Pacific: A Unique Area in the Indo-Pacific”
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Rishan De Silva (in English)
Executive Director, Geopolitical Cartographer, Sri Lanka; “Island Areas in the Indian Ocean, a Sri Lankan Perspective”
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Fabrice Folio
Associate Professor in Geography, University of La Réunion; “Territories, Issues and Players in the Mozambique Channel: From Local to Global”
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Moderation
Marianne Péron-Doise
Senior Research Fellow, co-Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme, Director of the Indo-Pacific Geopolitical Observatory, IRIS
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From 12:15 To 13:30
Break
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From 13:30 To 15:00
Regional Blue Economy Dynamics
This roundtable aims to analyze the main drivers of regional integration and the frameworks provided by key regional organizations to promote a virtuous development integrating contributions from diverse actors and entrepreneurs in support of connectivity and sustainable use of marine resources.
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Mélyne Tarer
Blue Economy Expert for the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Mauritius; “The Role of IORA in Implementing the Blue Economy at the Regional Level”
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Sarabjeet Parmar (in English)
Distinguished Fellow, Council for Strategic and Defence Research, New Delhi, and Australia India Institute, Melbourne; “IORA Under India’s Chairmanship: Perspectives and Avenues for India/France Cooperation on the Blue Economy”
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Nawshin Mahadooa (in English)
Mission Officer Blue Economy, Cap Business Indian Ocean, Mauritius; “The Challenges of Financing the Blue Economy for the Private Sector”
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Marie-Annick Lamy-Giner
Professor of Geography, University of La Reunion; “Maritime and Port Issues in the Southwestern Indian Ocean: Between Complementarity and Competition”
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Thomas Salacroup
Associate Professor of History and Geography, Special Advisor to the History and Geography Inspectorate of the Academy of La Réunion, “The Management of Fishery Resources in the Southern Indian Ocean and the Southern Seas”
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Moderation
Éric Abadie
Research fellow Marine Ecology, Overseas Delegate for the Indian Ocean at Ifremer
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From 15:00 To 15:30
Break
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From 15:30 To 17:00
Sustainable Development and Innovative Cooperation
This roundtable will assess adaptation strategies, good practices and regional and global cooperations in favor of innovative sustainable development, environmental imperatives, the health for maritime zones and biodiversity, as well as the preservation of the living environment of coastal and island communities.
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Baomiavotse Vahinala Raharinirina
Associate Professor at the University of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, Former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar; “Good Practices in the Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Indian Ocean”
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Raj Mohabeer
Policy Officer at the Indian Ocean Commission, Mauritius; “The Promotion of the Circular Economy in the Indian Ocean”
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Anjara Saloma (Online)
President of Cetamada, Madagascar, “Protection of Marine Mammals and Ecotourism“
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Clément Quetel
Head of Department and Deputy Director of the Environment Directorate of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), La Réunion; « The Contribution of the TAAF to Biodiversity Protection: A Regional and Global Impact »
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Romane Lucq
International Strategy Analyst Specializing in Maritime Issues; IRIS “UNOC 3 and Ocean Governance: Future Perspectives”
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Moderation
Jacques Rombi
Publishing Director, Le Journal des Archipels
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From 17:00 To 17:30
Closing conference - "The Indian Ocean's Regional Organizations and the Promotion of Cooperation"
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Vêlayoudom Marimoutou
Professor of Economics at Aix-Marseille University, Former Rector of the Academic Region of La Réunion, Former Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission
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