The Valorization of Waste as a Key Topic of the 3rd Edition of the Sustainable Development Forum by Journal des Archipels

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, Journal des Archipels (JDA) hosted the third edition of its Sustainable Development Forum at L’Aventure du Sucre, titled "Our Waste, Treasures to Valorize." This edition focused on waste valorization, drawing on an exclusive study conducted by Analysis, an affiliate of Kantar, and the efforts of companies and groups that have made circular economy a key element of their development.

This event has established itself as a pivotal space for exchange among stakeholders engaged in ecological transition and the circular economy in the region. This year, it emphasized Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 17, which is dedicated to partnerships for achieving these goals. The forum also highlighted regional cooperation dynamics between Mauritius and Réunion, showcasing the leading role of both islands in building a robust and structured sector around the circular economy. Supported by Gamma Materials, CIEL, the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), and Leroy Merlin from Réunion, the event gathered nearly eighty participants for a half-day of exchanges, dialogue, and reflection on the state of the circular economy in Mauritius and Réunion.

"Each year, we dedicate this meeting to one or more SDGs defined by the United Nations. This edition of the Journal des Archipels Sustainable Development Forum paid particular attention to several major initiatives, including the Plastic Odyssey, the ExPLOI program from the COI, and various circular economy actions led by forum partners. After the editions of 2023 and 2024, we decided to focus this year on a central theme: waste management and valorization. The idea is to change our perspective on what we call waste. They are not just residues to be eliminated, but treasures to be valued. This reflection underpins all the forum's work. The forum relies on a large regional survey conducted this year in Mauritius and Réunion by our partner Analysis. This study, based on a survey of the general public, aims to better understand perceptions of waste, expectations toward institutions, private actors, and the tourism sector, as well as the solutions considered for their valorization. We chose to focus the survey on Mauritius and Réunion because these two islands are already collaborating on many projects. For instance, the partnership between Made in Moris and Qualitropic in Réunion actively works on research and development. In Réunion, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems are well established thanks to public, local, and international funding, along with efficient collection systems for plastics and other containers. This has enabled the creation of genuine management, recycling, and valorization pathways. In Mauritius, we are moving in the same direction with a clear goal of mandatory sorting by 2027. The idea is that we can inspire each other: to draw from the Réunion model, but also to highlight the excellent Mauritian initiatives, particularly from high-performing companies," explains Jacques Rombi, Founder and Publisher of JDA.

As a regional magazine, JDA plays a role in creating bridges between the actors of the islands, strengthening regional synergies around the circular economy and cooperation for the common good of the environment. This movement already exists: it is progressing in Réunion and developing in Mauritius, seeking simply to support and promote it.

Through this third edition, JDA reaffirms its role as a unifying actor for sustainable development and the circular economy in the Indian Ocean while reaffirming its mission as a committed media outlet for a responsible and collaborative future.

The special issue of Journal des Archipels published on this occasion focuses on the central theme of the forum: waste valorization. This special edition invites a rethinking of our relationship with waste in the islands of the region, often lacking in raw materials. It offers an in-depth reflection on how waste can become strategic resources capable of generating jobs and creating local added value, while contributing to a sustainable development model based on three interlinked dimensions: environmental protection through local consumption that limits imports, job creation through a virtuous circle of production, and economic strengthening through the local transformation of resources. Among the key information in the special issue is the study conducted by Analysis, an affiliate of Kantar.