Edgard RAZAFINDRAVAHY - Secrétaire Générale de la COI.wav

Your Excellency, Mr. President of the Republic of Madagascar, Mr. Vice-President of the National Assembly, Ministers, Ambassadors, Mr. President of the Madagascar Industries Association, Madam President of the Reunion Region, Representatives of the private sector, distinguished guests, all protocol observed. It is with a sense of urgency, but also hope, that I address you today. This CEO Summit represents much more than a simple meeting: it embodies a unique opportunity to define together the future of our region.

A future where every decision we make must answer one crucial question: have we done everything in our power to secure the future of our region and our people? Because at the heart of this future stands a challenge that surpasses all others: food security.

Food security is not a choice, but a vital necessity. Let me be clear: food security is not simply one issue among many. It is neither a matter of comfort nor convenience—it is an absolute priority.

It is a fundamental right. And today, this right is threatened. Climate problems ravage our lands, supply chains falter, and crises knock at the doors of our economies.

All this reminds us of a simple but brutal truth: we can no longer rely on others to feed our people. We have the talent, we have the resources, but do we have the will to transform these promises into action?

I invite you to dream of an Indian Ocean region where Madagascar becomes the breadbasket of our hopes. Imagine these vast plains feeding not only its population but the entire region. Imagine the Seychelles and Comoros becoming living laboratories of innovation where technology transforms every challenge into opportunity.

Imagine Mauritius and Reunion opening the doors to global markets, ensuring that our products are consumed not only locally but globally. But imagining is not enough, we must act—invest in the future we want to build.

Such a future demands bold investments: a regional agricultural investment fund to inject capital into modern technologies and sustainable practices; visionary public-private partnerships to finance innovations like precision agriculture or smart irrigation systems.

An IOC agricultural space to create an environment conducive to production and trade. And, perhaps most importantly, a collective commitment to train a new generation of agricultural leaders capable of transforming our islands' fields into engines of prosperity. Look at Southeast Asia.

These nations, faced with similar challenges, succeeded by uniting, by building their regional hubs. Why not us? Why not here?

Why not now? Ladies and gentlemen, this summit is not an end in itself—it is the beginning of a movement.

We have waited too often. We have hesitated too often. Today, I ask you to wait no longer.

I ask you to hesitate no more. Change will not come tomorrow. It begins with us.

It begins with you. Now. A region where every child has a full stomach, where every farmer reaps the fruits of their labor, where every family can look to the future with hope rather than fear—this is not a utopia.

It is a possibility. But only if we have the courage to seize it. Next year, in Nosy Be, we will bring this vision before the IOC heads of state and government.

But the real work begins today, in this room. It is not this speech that will change our future. It is your actions, your commitment, and your leadership.

And that is why I want to emphasize that the IOC is ready to consider the ideas developed during this CEO Summit. Together, let us transform these reflections into concrete actions and integrate your contributions into our regional initiatives. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, because in the end, real change does not come from those who wait—it comes from those who dare.