The Future of the Outermost Regions at the Heart of Discussions

On April 7, 2025, Regional President Huguette Bello welcomed European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto to the Regional Council.

This meeting, held on the eve of the 29th Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions (ORs), provided an opportunity to discuss several important topics.

The discussions focused on the new political context in which the ORs are evolving, particularly for Réunion in the Indian Ocean. The two parties also addressed the challenges of the European Union’s future cohesion policy, particularly in the context of the next post-2027 multiannual budget.

One of the key points of the discussion was the consolidation of cohesion policy, with an emphasis on preserving the regional approach, particularly in terms of governance. Huguette Bello emphasized the importance of strengthened dialogue between the Regions and European institutions to address new challenges. The President also expressed her confidence in Raffaele Fitto, whom she considers “the advocate of the outermost regions” within the European Commission.

The partnership session of the Conference of Presidents of the outermost regions will take place on April 8, following the internal session of the Presidents on April 7. These discussions will continue to guide future actions and partnerships between the outermost regions and the European Union.