Inter-island summit to strengthen ties and economies

A two-day inter-island summit in Madagascar is expected to further strengthen ties among five Indian Ocean countries in their battle against growing economic marginalisation. Host President Marc Ravalomanana, presidents Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, James Michel of the Seychelles, and newly elected Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam of Mauritius are attending, with French President Jacques Chirac representing Reunion, a French overseas territory. At least 1,000 participants are expected at the meeting, which kicks off on Friday. This will be the Indian Ocean Committee's (IOC) third heads-of-state summit since the group was founded in 1984. The first was held in Madagascar in 1991 and the previous one in 1999 on Reunion. Despite various attempts at boosting inter-island economic integration, domestic political upheavals, especially in the Comoros and Madagascar, have sabotaged these efforts. The Comoran archipelago has seen more than 21 coups since independence in 1975, while a tussle over Madagascar's presidency in 2002 almost crippled its already fragile economy. Mauritius has long been a leading exponent of an Indian Ocean zone of cooperation, even though it has favourable trade links with France and Britain. However, the relatively well-off country finds itself facing economic uncertainty after the European Union (EU) earlier this year announced it would drastically cut the price paid for sugar imported under a quota system. Stiff competition from Chinese textile companies has added to its economic woes. "Since this is a high-level meeting, we expect some concrete steps will be taken to ensure economic relations among the islands are strengthened. Mauritius, as one of the IOC founders, has always thought that we need to look for solutions to our economic problems among us. The meeting will also emphasise strengthening our regional cultural identity," Mauritius foreign affairs deputy director for cooperation, Dev Phokeer, told IRIN. The five island nations have certain features in common: all have been colonies or protectorates of either Britain or France, have multiethnic populations, and a variety of religious faiths. Apart from looking for regional strategies to boost economic growth, island leaders are to meet separately with EU officials for talks on development and aid. The tiny Comoros archipelago - one of the world's poorest countries - relies heavily on external assistance, but years of political instability have led to a dramatic drop in foreign investment and donor interest. France has expressed its willingness to assist with development since a federal government was established in 2004. Bacar Salim, a senior official in the Comoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "It is hoped that discussions with the EU will yield some good economic partnerships because, as a small poor country, we really need a boost. Without access to more economic opportunities and financial assistance it will be difficult for us to recover from our political problems." In January a UN-sponsored conference in Mauritius shone the spotlight on the numerous challenges facing Small Island Developing States, and noted that trade liberalisation had severely battered their fragile economies over the past decade. Although there was consensus that international support was vital to accelerated development, delegates stressed that regional island groupings could do more to enhance their economic stability.