(Posted 26th May 2926)
Ambassador Dr. Alain St Ange led a series of institutional meetings to strengthen ties between Seychelles and Reunion on the sidelines of the 1st International Summit and Festival of Creole Chefs, held on May 23 and 24 May at MOCA – Domaine de Montgaillard in Reunion.
Tourism, Creole culture, fishing and air connectivity were at the heart of the discussions characterised by a spirit of ‘win-win’ cooperation.
During his visit, Dr. St Ange met with Huguette Bello, President of the Regional Council, a recognised figure in regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
The two leaders reaffirmed the deep historical and cultural ties uniting the two islands, believing that their shared Creole identity should serve as the foundation for strengthening partnerships.
Tourism was identified as the area of cooperation where progress is most advanced. Discussions highlighted the successes achieved by the Vanilla Islands organization, of which Dr. Alain St Ange is a founding member, in developing cruises and multi-island holiday packages.
Culture was also identified as a new strategic area to be developed, both as a continuation of the Creole momentum driven by the summit and as a tool for international appeal shared between the two destinations.
Dr. St Ange held talks with Wilfrid Bertile, and discussions focused primarily on the fishing sector, particularly training, joint projects and the pooling of expertise. Seychelles and Reunion share converging economic interests as well as challenges relating to maritime sovereignty in the Indian Ocean.
It was also noted that in 2025, the Reunion Region acquired a stake in SAPMER, a major player in deep-sea fishing in the Indian Ocean and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. The investment strengthens the operational foundations for fisheries cooperation between the two territories.
A meeting was also held with Hugues Marchessaux to discuss the possibility of re-establishing a direct air link between Reunion and Seychelles. In the past did Air Austral fly the route but has since halted flights. Discussions therefore focused on the economic and operational conditions necessary for the establishment of a sustainable service, particularly with a view to connecting with Europe in order to ensure the commercial viability of this link.
The series of meetings confirms the commitment of Seychelles and Reunion to transforming their cultural proximity into concrete and sustainable partnerships.
The next steps will include the development of sectoral roadmaps and the mobilisation of various regional cooperation frameworks, notably the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Commission.
Reunion, a French region in the Indian Ocean, and the Seychelles are close partners in the Vanilla Island Organization which is a marketing cooperation of the key Indian Ocean tourism islands, also including Mauritius, Madagascar, the Comoros, and Mayotte
