For Jean-François Carenco, "the perception of overseas territories must evolve"

• "20 Minutes" is a partner of the second edition of the overseas economic conferences, organized by Ouest-France, which are held online this Tuesday, December 6.

• On the strength of their wealth and their strategic presence in the four corners of the world, the overseas territories also face many difficulties, such as violence, the high cost of living or even global warming.

• "The perception of the overseas territories must evolve", insists the Minister Delegate in charge of the Overseas Territories, Jean-François Carenco, appointed on July 4.

A real minister on the ground.

Since his appointment as Minister Delegate in charge of the Overseas Territories on July 4, Jean-François Carenco has traveled the three ocean basins.

Just after his return from New Caledonia, and before a new trip to Guyana, he gave a long interview to

on the eve of the second edition of the overseas economic conferences.

It was enough, as the overseas territories are full of wealth, but also of difficulties.

We are on the eve of the end of year celebrations and family reunions.

Ultramarines denounce

As with all destinations, there are major difficulties in air service to overseas territories.

Like you, I have noticed an increase in plane tickets.

I asked my colleague Clément Beaune, Minister in charge of Transport, to measure the intensity of this increase by territory.

This will make it possible to check whether the current responses are still adapted to the needs and, if necessary, to consider adjustments or additional measures.

For the purchase of plane tickets, state support mechanisms are put in place with Ladom, the public establishment for assistance with territorial continuity.

The State covers part of the ticket price for eligible Ultramarines (students, professionals in training, etc.).

These amounts were revalued in 2021 and are fixed by territory. Its budget will increase by 8 million euros.

But we must not forget that, behind the effort on plane tickets, there is also all the work done to save overseas airlines which are in great difficulty.

Take Air Austral.

The State, together with investors from Reunion and the regional council, has drawn up a recovery plan for the company.

If we help the shareholders of Air Austral to carry out its restructuring, it must help us with prices.

I intend to do the same with Air France, whose director I will meet before mid-December.

We also have difficulties with Corsair and Air Guyane.

Finally, there is the subject of freight assistance, the funds for which are not fully spent.

It is a very complicated procedure between the State and the regions.

I have therefore decided to review this policy for the benefit of companies.

The State announced on November 22 that it would release an envelope of 10 million euros for

These ten million represent the equivalent of 300,000 food parcels.

It will of course concern students from the “French archipelago and Guyana”.

The scholarship system has already undergone recent improvements [attribution of additional charging points to facilitate access to scholarships for overseas students], the situation of overseas students is also addressed during these consultations.

Similarly, territorial consultation will of course be organized in the overseas academies.

I will closely follow the results of these consultations and we will be there for the follow-up to be given. 

Have you planned to accompany the Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories, Gérald Darmanin, to Mayotte for the New Year, in order to take stock of the situation?

No.

I am going to Guyana.

He goes to Mayotte.

Together, we multiply the action of the State in the overseas territories. 

Let's stay in spite of everything in Mayotte, where the unemployment rate (30%) is the highest in France...

Yes, but it is also the one that is also falling the most in France [according to INSEE, a peak of 35% was reached in the 2nd quarter of 2018].

That's why I'm making it a political priority!

In Mayotte, Gérald Darmanin tackled security and immigration issues head-on, with a focus on resources and regulations.

But I would like that, alongside that, we talk about what is being done in Mayotte, such as the construction of the hospital, the plan for renovating school buildings and the potential of this department, particularly in terms of tourism, business creation, innovation...

During the meeting of elected officials from overseas, Monday, November 21, ahead of the 104th Congress of Mayors of France, you said "to make housing a personal priority".

According to the Court of Auditors, 80% of the overseas population is eligible for social housing.

However, only 15% of Drom households benefit from it...

I repeat, it is a priority.

The subject of overseas housing is one of the topics on which we discussed with elected officials during the working meeting organized by Emmanuel Macron, on September 7, at the Elysée.

There is a real land problem, because an island is by nature a limited territory.

It is even more limited due to climate change and the problems of coastal submersion, but also due to the rules for preserving biodiversity.

And that's normal, you can't build just anywhere.

I recently organized the conference of overseas social landlords, where I was able to collect the irritants and blocking points on priority themes: freeing up developed land, simplifying the act of building, controlling construction costs and have

The

The new BQP [the BQP+] will be presented on December 8 and will be much more interesting for the consumer.

For all territories, the number of products that make up the basket will increase.

It will also be extended to areas other than food, such as telephony, DIY, automobiles.

Above all, major distributors will commit to ensuring that products sold overseas are sold at the same price as that in mainland France [excluding freight costs].

Beaches that are disappearing in particular in Wallis-and-Futuna,

The perception of overseas must change.

It can no longer be reduced to that of remote territories, subject to social and climatic crises, rooted in underdevelopment.

In reality, the overseas territories are ahead of their time, because, by their geography and their history, they are at the crossroads of the greatest challenges of the planet, whether demographic, environmental, health, agricultural or economic.

The overseas territories have considerable experience, know-how and assets to build and promote innovative responses to these challenges.

The overseas territories will be fully integrated into the preparation of the major UN summit on the oceans that France wants to host in 2025, to promote these unique experiences.

But let's talk about the considerable contribution of oceanic France [overseas], in favor of the fight against global warming.

Announced by the President of the Republic during his trip in July 2021, Polynesia received, for example, the energy transition fund, a significant allocation over 4 years, up to 60 million from the State, to accelerate the decarbonization of energy production.

Finally, we are in the process of organizing ourselves to draw up an inventory of the damage already suffered by the overseas territories.

The rise in sea level is already leading us in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to prepare for the relocation of the village of Miquelon, which is subject to high risks of submersion. 

Our dossier on the overseas territories

Regarding the

A member of the government does not comment on court decisions.

He respects them.

And I call on everyone to respect them. 

I can nevertheless say that, under the initial impetus of the President of the Republic, who solemnly acknowledged, and for the first time, that the State would take its share of the responsibility in the environmental chlordecone scandal, strong progress has been made .

Like the recognition of prostate cancer as an occupational disease.

Even if there is still a lot to do, the first annual report of the plan published on November 4, shows progress, such as the deployment of the compensation fund for pesticide victims, the implementation for all of free analyzes of chlordecone in the blood and accompanying devices to identify and reduce the sources of exposures.

Just like the implementation of free soil analyzes for farmers and individuals. 

Last question: what is your priority today? 

Create value, develop businesses, otherwise young people will have no future.

If they have no future, either they become delinquents, or they leave, or they are unemployed for life, which is just unthinkable.

We must give our overseas youth the opportunity to be educated with dignity, so that they develop their territories with pride.

Company

Mayotte: Why it "burns everywhere" in Mamoudzou, the capital of the archipelago

Justice

Chlordecone scandal: Dismissal requested in the investigation into the poisoning in the West Indies

For the second consecutive year,

is a partner of the overseas economic conferences, organized by the

group ,

and Ilago.

The event, dedicated to the French overseas economy, and the second edition of which has the theme "Entrepreneurship together", will take place on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. An appointment to follow live on our website, free of charge and without registration.

The overseas territories are 13 territories of more than 2.7 million French people, in the three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian).

They are also and above all territories that are full of attractiveness, opportunities and prospects.

The full program here: https://economieoutremer.ouest-france.fr/programme-2022/

• Overseas

• Jean-Francois Carenco

• Gerald Darmanin

• Mayotte

• West Indies

• Student

• Economy

• Biodiversity