Vanilla Islands grouping - Reunion, Seychelles consolidate ties after talks in St Denis |05 August 2016

The Vanilla Islands of Reunion and Seychelles have discussed avenues for continued cooperation between them.

The meeting took place in Reunion between Didier Robert, the senator and regional president of Reunion and Alain St Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture.

Minister St Ange, who was in Reunion for the Indian Ocean Vanilla islands ministerial meeting that was this year attended by all six islands of this regional community, said his one on one discussions with Mr Robert were positive.

“We have done a lot together and we both know that we can do a lot more for our respective islands through maintaining a close working cooperation. The tourism dimension of our cooperation is showing positive results and together we are looking at more ways to open doors on the cultural front,” Minister St Ange said. 

Minister St Ange also used his visit in Reunion to work on developing cultural and tourism exchanges with the sister island.

He held separate meetings with Yoland Velleyen, the interim mayor of Saint Paul, and Azeddine Bouali, the president of the Fédération Réunnionnaise de Tourisme.

A cultural memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed between the culture department of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the town of Saint Paul in Reunion.

The Fédération Réunnionnaise de Tourisme is also expected to sign an agreement with the Seychelles Tourism Board.