The residents of Réunion’s western territory and the people of Madagascar’s Sainte-Marie island share more than a stretch of Indian Ocean. They share practical concerns that touch daily life: how waste is managed, how coastlines withstand erosion, how drinking water is secured, and how tourism can develop without harming the environment. Around these everyday stakes, the Territoire de l’Ouest has chosen to deepen its cooperation with Malagasy partners, a commitment that took on new substance with a series of recent meetings.
The latest chapter opened with the arrival of a delegation from Sainte-Marie, made up of representatives of the state and of tourism and hospitality professionals, welcomed within the framework of decentralized cooperation. The visit coincided with the announcement of a new air link between Sainte-Marie and La Réunion, a connection with tangible consequences for residents and travellers on both islands. The delegation came to promote its destination, but also to take stock of the dossiers shared with the Territoire de l’Ouest, with the aim of continuing and strengthening the ties between the two territories.
For the population of Sainte-Marie, the cooperation is already visible on the ground. “Beyond waste management, we are deploying an ecolabel in our tourist establishments for a ‘zero plastic’ island and sustainable tourism,” explained Elie Dahy Maximim Gehitho, delegate for Tourism and Crafts of Sainte-Marie. “Today, we are looking for partners to promote our know-how and would like to go further in the work of cooperation with the Territoire de l’Ouest,” he continued. The Territoire de l’Ouest has in fact been supporting the urban commune of Sainte-Marie for four years now. Within this decentralized cooperation, Réunionnais technicians put their expertise at the service of the Malagasy territory, notably on the creation of a waste management centre intended to serve hoteliers as well.
Emmanuel Séraphin, president of the Territoire de l’Ouest, framed the ambition in terms of what citizens on both sides can gain. “Our objective is to go even further in the cooperation, notably on cultural and tourist exchanges, or on subjects linked to education,” he affirmed. “We could, for example, train Réunionnais in Malagasy crafts, but also work with the professionals of Sainte-Marie island.”
Meanwhile, the diplomatic dimension of this rapprochement took a further step on Monday 05 October 2026, when Emmanuel Séraphin received Hanitra Velonjara Tiaray Rakotonandrana, Minister of the Interior and Decentralization, and Nasolo Adakalo, head of the Boeny Region. The purpose of the meeting was to firm up the links between the two islands and to explore new opportunities for exchange between the Territoire de l’Ouest and other regions of Madagascar. The discussions consolidated the relationship between La Réunion and Madagascar while opening new perspectives for cooperation, focusing on the possibility of developing new partnerships around issues and projects of common interest. The stated ambition is a shared one: to strengthen the bridges between the territories and to bring forth new dynamics of regional cooperation, dynamics whose benefits, from cleaner environments to better services, would flow directly to the populations concerned.
Before these encounters, Emmanuel Séraphin had recalled the three major axes that structure cooperation between the two territories: technical expertise, mobility and culture. This collaboration translates into concrete action on the ground, with the mobilization of experts, the hosting of young volunteers, and cultural and sporting exchanges. These initiatives reflect an active and practical cooperation, founded on the sharing of know-how, the mobility of young people and the bringing together of populations, the very people who live with the consequences of environmental and economic pressures on a daily basis.
The president of the Territoire de l’Ouest pointed to the shared challenges that weigh most heavily on residents’ quality of life. “We have formidable synergies to develop around issues that touch us closely: sustainable tourism, management of the coastline and the fight against marine erosion, or the management of drinking water,” he affirmed. “Our territories have everything to gain from uniting our forces, sharing our innovations and building our models of resilience together.” For households on both islands, these are not abstractions: access to clean water, the stability of the shoreline and the sustainability of tourism-dependent livelihoods shape everyday wellbeing.
The next meeting between the Territoire de l’Ouest and the Malagasy institutions, scheduled for next month in Madagascar, will be the occasion to return to these opportunities for collaboration. Further detail on the territory’s approach to this cooperation can be found at https://imazpress.com/zoom/le-territoire-de-l-ouest-mise-sur-une-cooperation-elargie-entre-madagascar-et-la-reunion, and the coming discussions will show whether the promises of shared resilience can be turned into lasting benefits for the citizens the partnership is meant to serve.