Cosmetics – A Development Axis for MSMEs

The cosmetics and natural plant sector in the Indian Ocean has already seen initiatives for inter-island collaboration. In the past, a common label, “Îles Vanilles”, bringing together Mauritius, Seychelles, and Réunion, was promoted. However, this initiative did not achieve lasting success, mainly due to competition among these islands, which hindered stronger cooperation. Despite these challenges, significant progress has been made. In 2018, a regional business cluster was created to structure and boost the sector. This cluster continues to develop thanks to the “Comptoir des Papams” program, funded by Interreg V and led by Qualitropic for Réunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles, as well as by the CCI Mayotte for Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte. These initiatives open up new opportunities for collaboration and strengthen the competitiveness of local businesses in the natural cosmetics market.