La Interprofessional consular chamber of Saint-Martin (CCISM) hosted last week the president of CCI France, Alain Di Crescenzo, on a trip to the region for an institutional and economic visit. Accompanied in particular by his director general, he came meet local economic players in order to better understand the realities of the Saint-Martin entrepreneurial fabric and the challenges faced by businesses.
Alongside the president of the Saint-Martin Interprofessional Chamber of Commerce, Angèle Dormoy, and the president of the Guadeloupe Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Patrick Vial-Collet, who is also president of ACCIOM (Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Overseas Territories)This visit allowed us to draw up a overview of local economic dynamicsThis is the third visit by the president of CCI France to the island, a sign of the attention paid by the consular network to the overseas territories.
An immersion into the heart of the local economy
The first part of the trip was dedicated to discussions with several institutional and economic stakeholders. The objective: to present the specific characteristics of the region and the challenges faced by local businesses.
Accompanied by Angèle Dormoy, Alain Di Crescenzo visited the Marigot center in order to meet with the shopkeepers and speak directly with them about their businesses and concerns. The delegation then continued its visit to the Royal Marina, another important economic hub of the capital. Next and unmissable stop: the village of Grand Case, in order to illustrate the central role of tourism and catering in the local economy. This sector constitutes one of the major drivers of the territory’s economic activity.
For the CCI network, this field immersion is part of a a desire to support local businesses and the vitality of city centersconsidered as essential levers for development and economic attractiveness.
An island and cross-border economy
The visit also highlighted the uniqueness of Saint-Martin’s economic model, closely linked to that of the Dutch part of the island, Sint Maarten.
At the initiative of the president of the CCISM, a meeting was organized with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sint Maarten in order to discuss economic cooperation between the two territories. The delegation also visited the cruise port of Sint Maarten, strategic infrastructure for the island’s tourism economy.
This sequence served as a reminder that Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten function as two complementary economies, sharing common dynamics and challenges. The strengthening cooperation across the island It thus appears as an important lever to support balanced and sustainable growth.
The discussions also provided an opportunity to discuss several development prospects for the territory, including strengthening Saint-Martin’s position as a regional tourist platform to the Caribbean, upgrading the tourism offering, and opportunities related to the blue economy, linked to the nautical infrastructure present on the island.
Heading towards the Overseas Chambers of Commerce and Industry Conference
The visit of the president of CCI France also provided an opportunity to discuss the preparation for the next Overseas Chambers of Commerce and Industry Conference, scheduled for next summer. This meeting should allow the eleven overseas chambers of commerce to develop a common roadmap in order to bring their economic priorities to the national level.
In this context, a collaborative analysis is underway to identify collective challenges while taking into account the specific characteristics of each region, hence the importance of including ACCIOM in the discussions. The consular network thus intends to strengthen its capacity to convey local economic realities and formulate concrete proposals to influence public policy.
A new work sequence A meeting is also planned for March 20 at the Élysée Palace, at the initiative of Alain Di Crescenzo, in order to continue discussions with public authorities and prepare the proposals that will be presented during these meetings.
Giving entrepreneurs a voice
For Angèle Dormoy, this visit constitutes a an important step towards recognizing the economic stakes of Saint-Martin “This visit has shown that Saint-Martin is up to the economic challenges it faces. It has also helped to highlight an essential reality: our territory operates within a global economic dynamic with Sint Maarten.”
She also reiterated the importance of support from the national consular network in defending the interests of overseas businesses. In a context where the State expects concrete proposals to support their development, the collective mobilization of chambers of commerce appears as an essential lever. On a purely local level, the CCISM continues its indispensable mission of representing the voice of Saint-Martin’s entrepreneurs and strengthening the economic and institutional cooperation necessary for the sustainable development of the territory.
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/economie-le-president-de-cci-france-en-visite-a-saint-martin-pour-soutenir-les-entreprises-locales/
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