What Are the Region’s Main Needs?
The team from the “Entrepreneurship and Business Facilitation in the Indian Ocean” (ENFA-OI) program, led by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the European Union, organized a workshop to present the findings of an assessment on entrepreneurship in the Indian Ocean, highlighting the real needs of stakeholders.
This assessment focused on the sectors of medicinal and cosmetic plants, seafood products, and tourism.
The study covered support organizations, training centers, start-ups, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with special attention to women-led and youth-led businesses in Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles. The key needs identified for entrepreneurs in the region include:
- Easier access to financing, training, and market-related information.
- Comprehensive mentorship for launching and sustainably managing businesses, particularly for women and young entrepreneurs who often face disadvantages in the business world.
- Awareness of the concepts of the blue, green, and circular economy in connection with the program’s priority sectors (medicinal and cosmetic plants, seafood products, and tourism).
- Strengthening public-private dialogue.
- Improving regional economic competitiveness.
“The ENFA-OI program reflects our commitment to developing new economic growth levers by strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our member states. This initiative primarily targets women and young entrepreneurs in our islands, as they are key players in the economic fabric of our territories,” emphasized Prof. Vêlayoudom Marimoutou, Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission.
According to Florence Van Houtte, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation, “As a regional project, ENFA-OI can provide specific added value in terms of commercial synergies, technological innovation sharing, and best practice exchanges among industries in the four IOC member states involved.”
This initial assessment has laid the groundwork for the upcoming actions of the ENFA-OI program, ensuring alignment with the real needs expressed by regional stakeholders.
Next Steps of the ENFA-OI Program
The ENFA-OI program will implement activities aimed at:
- Strengthening the capacities of support organizations and professional associations in the private sector.
- Enhancing MSMEs within the mentioned industries.
- Facilitating exchanges between regional businesses.
- Disseminating best practices.
- Establishing a framework for dialogue among support organizations.
- Organizing a regional pitch competition for start-ups in the targeted sectors.
The presentation of the assessment findings took place at the IOC headquarters, attended by representatives from ministries in charge of trade, industry, and entrepreneurship, as well as support institutions, training centers, experts, business leaders, and professional associations from IOC member states.
