Commission de l’Océan Indien

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www.coi-ioc.org

Raj MOHABEEROfficer in Charge of Economic Affaires

General secretariatIndian Ocean Commission

Small States in a World of Economic and Financial

turbulence

What development partnerships for Small States in a World of Economic and Financial turbulence?

CONTEXT:• Globalisation: an accelerating process which even the Globalisation: an accelerating process which even the

developed countries are not able to control individually, let developed countries are not able to control individually, let alone the SIDS; but the latter depend on the DC markets;alone the SIDS; but the latter depend on the DC markets;

• Erosion of preferences & diminishing income, but increasing Erosion of preferences & diminishing income, but increasing costs for ensuring sustainability of resources;costs for ensuring sustainability of resources;

• Aid already flowing more on trade and economy; with the Aid already flowing more on trade and economy; with the crisis, pessimism of aid but a more reinforced focus on crisis, pessimism of aid but a more reinforced focus on economy and less and less focus on the other aspects of SD.economy and less and less focus on the other aspects of SD.

• Emerging economies – the Asian tigers: what opportunities Emerging economies – the Asian tigers: what opportunities and challenges?and challenges?

• Economic development strategies based more on trade and Economic development strategies based more on trade and regional integration strategies;regional integration strategies;

• SIDS need for identifying new opportunities for economic SIDS need for identifying new opportunities for economic growth, maintain existing markets and try to access new and growth, maintain existing markets and try to access new and larger markets access;larger markets access;

• >350 RTAs notified to WTO and EPA with EU; etc>350 RTAs notified to WTO and EPA with EU; etc

Larger regional markets and partnerships Larger regional markets and partnerships with neighbouring ROswith neighbouring ROs

Regionalisation is here and all the SS and SIDS are involved Regionalisation is here and all the SS and SIDS are involved in a Regional Integration process with each region with its in a Regional Integration process with each region with its own model.own model.

For the IOC perspective:For the IOC perspective: RI very costly. For e.g the EU process – 25,000 personnel, RI very costly. For e.g the EU process – 25,000 personnel,

hundreds of institutions. Which SIDS region can afford that?hundreds of institutions. Which SIDS region can afford that? How far any SS/SIDS region can go in the process of RI?How far any SS/SIDS region can go in the process of RI? So what is IOC doing? So what is IOC doing?

• RI process and EPA: e.g bottom-up approach, e.g RI process and EPA: e.g bottom-up approach, e.g fisheries management, trying to follow the Pacific modelfisheries management, trying to follow the Pacific model

• promoting the sub-regional issues within the larger promoting the sub-regional issues within the larger region on the basis of subsidiarityregion on the basis of subsidiarity

• Improved functional cooperation with common Improved functional cooperation with common strategies and programmes with neighbouring ROsstrategies and programmes with neighbouring ROs

Reinforced functional cooperationReinforced functional cooperation

• Focus on sustainable development: so Focus on sustainable development: so as far as possible all the thre pillars of as far as possible all the thre pillars of SG are integrated in programmes; SG are integrated in programmes;

• synergies and complementarities synergies and complementarities amongst neighbouring ROs - IOC, amongst neighbouring ROs - IOC, COMESA, SADC, EAC, IGAD and IOC’s COMESA, SADC, EAC, IGAD and IOC’s rolerole

• Avoid duplication of actions, Avoid duplication of actions, maximisation of optimum use of scarce maximisation of optimum use of scarce resources whether human or financial – resources whether human or financial – RSP/RIPRSP/RIP

Key partnerships Key partnerships Key partnerships:Key partnerships:

• Reinforced political dialogue;Reinforced political dialogue;• Prepare the region and the economic actors to face the Prepare the region and the economic actors to face the

challenges; for e.g this workshop needs to be adapted to every challenges; for e.g this workshop needs to be adapted to every stakeholder and replicated in the regionsstakeholder and replicated in the regions

• Recognise and add value to regional identity and for IOC, the Recognise and add value to regional identity and for IOC, the “indianoceanic” identify;“indianoceanic” identify;

• Ensure adequate and regular representation in key regional Ensure adequate and regular representation in key regional and international fora;and international fora;

• Put in a system for the “valorisation” of regional experts and Put in a system for the “valorisation” of regional experts and elites, ensure a participatory approach involving all parties elites, ensure a participatory approach involving all parties concerned such as the youth, the women, the population, the concerned such as the youth, the women, the population, the private sector and economic operators, parliamentarians, private sector and economic operators, parliamentarians, NGOs, etc.NGOs, etc.

• Improve development partners and donors and set up a donor Improve development partners and donors and set up a donor coordination mechanism, monitor access to aid resources. coordination mechanism, monitor access to aid resources. Ensure that Paris Declaration does note remain a “slogan”, but Ensure that Paris Declaration does note remain a “slogan”, but there are concrete actions to oversee its application.there are concrete actions to oversee its application.

ProcessesProcesses IOC AfT Strategy;IOC AfT Strategy; Projects, programmes and priorities;Projects, programmes and priorities; Networking and a large focus on Networking and a large focus on

sustainability issues; so e.g UOI, sustainability issues; so e.g UOI, MCS, RTTP, etcMCS, RTTP, etc

ISIDSMSISIDSMS Cooperation with the other SIDS Cooperation with the other SIDS

region;region; Focus on the best practices Focus on the best practices

worldwide;worldwide; Mechanism for setting up a Mechanism for setting up a

permanent forum for us?...to move permanent forum for us?...to move this workshop move forward.this workshop move forward.

CONCLUSION:CONCLUSION:partners = resultspartners = results

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We can…but together!We can…but together!

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ThanksThanks