On December 5 and 6, 2024, Madagascar hosted an unprecedented event in the economic history of the Indian Ocean. Testimonials gathered from CEO Summit participants reveal a pivotal moment in building a regional economic identity. "We had been waiting for this for a long time, we were waiting for it, but we were also waiting to see who would do it first," confides one participant, summarizing the general sentiment that emerges from the interviews.

The initiative by the Syndicat des Industries de Madagascar (SIM) brought together more than 500 decision-makers from twelve countries, creating unexpected momentum. The interviewed leaders unanimously emphasize the exceptional quality of exchanges and the unique atmosphere that prevailed during these two days. The CEO of Star expresses "great pride" in seeing Madagascar assume this regional leadership, while representatives from neighboring countries applaud the boldness of this initiative.

Regional integration emerges as the common thread of discussions. "We can no longer do business the way we do today," states an interviewed executive, emphasizing the need to rethink economic models at the Indian Ocean scale. This concern is particularly acute in the air transport sector, where the Commercial Director of Ravinala Airports stresses the urgency of developing regional connections.

Tourism emerges as the spearhead of this integration drive. The President of the Madagascar Tourism Confederation discusses the sector's post-Covid transformation and the importance of building a coherent regional offering. The Vanilla Islands initiative perfectly illustrates how cooperation can create value for all stakeholders.

The environment naturally takes center stage in the discussions. Testimonials converge on a shared conviction: regional economic development must harmonize with the preservation of natural heritage. The Minister of Tourism emphasizes this need to "stand out through cultural aspects while respecting the environment."

Innovation runs through all discussions, particularly in the post-Covid context. Participants emphasize the importance of digital transformation, new work models, and the reshaping of value chains. The health crisis has catalyzed these transformations, pushing companies to reinvent themselves.

Female leadership emerges as a major theme in the interviews. The winner of the Female CEO of the Year award highlights the importance of boldness and urges women leaders to "dare, be bold" in building the regional economic future.

The exchanges highlight concrete challenges: the free movement of people and goods remains a major obstacle, infrastructure requires substantial investment, and the harmonization of standards demands thorough work. These challenges are now being addressed collectively, with the conviction that they can only be met through joint action.

Beyond economics, the interviews reveal a deep aspiration: to see the Indian Ocean assert itself as a coherent and dynamic economic space, capable of influencing the global economy while preserving its identity. As one participant summarizes: "Alone we go faster, but together we go further."