Convergence Agreements for Overseas Territories

Emmanuel Macron and Édouard Philippe, and the responsible Minister Annick Girardin personally met several overseas collectivities in order to sign “convergence and transformation contracts” with them, aimed at reducing the development gaps in economic and social terms. These agreements were envisaged in the Overseas Real Equality Act passed in 2017 under President François Hollande. They aim at identifying, and prioritising objectives that ought to be implemented by the State and local authorities (regions, local authorities, departments, etc.) over the next four years (2019-2022).

“These convergence and transformation contracts are the concrete expression of the ambitions set out in the Overseas Blue Book, which was presented on 28 June 2018 at the Elysée Palace. “They express the common desire of the State and the overseas elected representatives for a contract that is specific to each territory, and that allows them to have infrastructures as well as high-level equipment, taking into account the challenges related to the ecological transition”.

Contracts were signed between the French State and local authorities from Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and Wallis and Futuna, for a “financial effort” of €2.1 billion. On this occasion, the Prime Minister and the presidents of 9 overseas collectivities commit themselves to the 5.0 Trajectory. Local executives are committed to preparing these territories for the challenges and threats of the future through five challenges to be met by 2030, that is: 0 exclusion, 0 carbon, 0 waste, 0 agricultural pollutant, 0 vulnerability to climate change. The projects to be financed by the convergence and transformation contracts must be consistent with these objectives as per statement by Matignon.