Saint-Denis, October 10, 2026 — The Permanent Commission of Réunion's Regional Council met yesterday, October 9, and adopted around 50 resolutions covering education, economic development, the environment and infrastructure — a dense agenda that reflects the pace of public investment in the island, despite a tense socio-economic backdrop.
Fishing: €17.1 million via the EMFAF
The headline figure: ARIPA (Réunion's Interprofessional Fishing and Aquaculture Association) is awarded €17,130,473 under the EMFAF (European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund), allocated to offset the structural extra costs of the island's fishing industry. The grant underscores the strategic role of the blue economy in Réunion's economic landscape.
€2.5 million to repair RN2 after lava flow
The commission approved a €2.5 million allocation to restore the RN2 national road, severed by the most recent Piton de la Fournaise lava flow. This unplanned expenditure illustrates the recurring financial impact of volcanic activity on local public finances and the need to maintain emergency reserves.
€90 million for a Tourism and Hospitality vocational school
On the education front, the Region is green-lighting a major project: the construction of a Tourism and Hospitality vocational high school in Saint-André, with a total budget of €90 million. A first programme authorisation of €49 million was voted to launch the works — a structural investment for training in one of Réunion's key economic sectors.
Entrepreneurship, innovation and the local business fabric
€185,000 goes to Initiative Réunion to support three entrepreneurship programmes. Grand Sud Productions (€604,637), Rhums & Punchs Isautier (€556,588) and Domaine des Tourelles (€211,781 for craft trades) are among the businesses receiving ERDF and regional grants. La Réunion Innovation receives €747,647 to manage the island's S5 innovation strategy in 2026.
Why it matters
With unemployment above 19% and business insolvencies rising, these resolutions reflect a regional strategy centred on the blue economy, vocational training and local business support to kick-start recovery. The fishing fund remains the most symbolic: it confirms that the Indian Ocean is a genuine economic resource for Réunion — not merely a tourism backdrop.