Myriam Blin, Head, Charles Telfair Centre
2025 has been a year of profound global challenges. From trade wars and rising geopolitical conflicts to the persistent lack of progress on climate change, the international order has felt an exceptional strain. For our region, composed of nations deeply connected to these global systems, the impacts have been immediate and acute.
Our region has navigated this landscape while facing its own urgent pressures: the erosion of our coastlines from intense weather events, renewed economic pressure post-COVID with inflationary pressure and trade challenges, but also increased migration (in and out). We also saw our youth asking more from us, sometimes "walking with their feet" by choosing to build their futures elsewhere. Finaly, we have been grappling with the rapid transformation promised by AI, often without the institutional infrastructure to guide it for the public good.
In this environment, the need for an independent, reliable space to combat misinformation and support sound decision-making has never been greater. This is the mission the Charles Telfair Centre was created to meet, and in 2025, we truly came into our own.
2025 was a pivotal year for the Centre, defined by both consolidation and innovation. We began 2025 by achieving a crucial milestone: our official incorporation as a not-for-profit entity. This step lays the foundation that allows us to diversify our funding structure and transition into the full-fledged think tank our region needs.
Our growth was not just structural. It was also strategic. In 2025, we innovated beyond our regular summary research blogs to meet a growing demand for practical solutions. We launched our first series of policy briefs, designed to directly support key stakeholders in their decision-making. This work will be complemented by our first full policy report on gender inclusion in the Western Indian Ocean region in 2026, marking a new chapter in the depth and rigour of our analysis.
In 2025 our workshops, events and publications tackled the region's most pressing issues:
Climate Change and Biodiversity
Actionable Solutions to Protect Biodiversity
We prioritised evidence-based interventions for ecosystem preservation. Addressing the balance between agriculture and conservation, our blog publication on fruit bats and farmers offered smarter approaches to crop and biodiversity protection. In parallel, we tackled resource scarcity through the publication of research on adaptive water management for island states facing climate-induced stress. These publications were complemented by high-level public engagement, including a landmark event on the behaviour and ecology of the sperm whale, which highlighted the importance of emblematic species in our marine ecosystems. Finally, our coverage of research on coral reef vulnerability provided critical data to protect Mauritius' coastal defence systems against external stressors.
Promoting Circularity with Strong Dissemination Impact
The Centre engaged with all stakeholders to move the circular economy from a theoretical concept to a policy imperative. Following our workshop on circular economy challenges in solid waste management, we released a targeted policy brief outlining the stakes and strategies for waste management in Mauritius. This was expanded regionally through the publication of research on a roadmap for African and Indian Ocean Island States.
Understanding Climate Change Impacts and Challenges
We facilitated critical dialogue on managing the systemic risks of a warming world. In partnership with the MCB, we hosted a major event on Financing a Sustainable Future, unlocking capital for resilience in the Western Indian Ocean.
Our research further explored the legal and health implications of the climate crisis, exploring constitutional changes related to the environment and the direct threats climate change poses to food safety and hygiene.
Ocean Governance
Strengthening our Ports and Maritime Security
We convened regional stakeholders to address security threats and infrastructure resilience. This included a Maritime Week regional conference focused on highlighting how technology is creating new threats and complexifying existing threats but also acts as a powerful tool supporting greater maritime security. In December, we explored how governance reforms, green infrastructure, and inclusive planning can transform Port-Louis into a sustainable, resilient, and competitive port.
Leading the Coverage on the Chagos Sovereignty
The Centre took a lead role in defining the environmental governance of the Chagos Archipelago. We published analyses on ensuring coral reef protection as the islands return to Mauritius, alongside strategic papers on the decision-making frameworks required for the effective management of the territory.
Protecting our Ocean
Our scope extended to the preservation of marine integrity against industrial exploitation. We published critical assessments on deep seabed mining, arguing that the biodiversity risks outweigh the economic potential. We also brought together ocean communities, scientists and policy makers to sensitise on responsible behaviour around sperm whales and other cetaceans.
This work advocates for a precautionary approach to ocean management, prioritising long-term ecological health over short-term extraction but also involving the communities in the solution driven conversations.
Economic Growth and Inclusive Development
The Centre provided crucial guidance on navigating geopolitical turbulence. We dominated the local discussion on global trade dynamics through a highly attended event on the impact of the trade war on the region, supported by publications analysing whether global trade wars can be avoided and where Mauritius fits in the new global trade order.
This culminated in a strategic workshop on a Diplomacy Strategy for Mauritius and SIDS in a New Global Context.
Building a More Inclusive Mauritius
We dedicated significant attention to social inclusion leading key discussion on priority topics for the region. Championing gender equity, we hosted the International Symposium on Action for Women’s Rights with speakers across 9 countries of the Indian Ocean ring. We co-hosted a panel on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs with the Australian High Commission, supported by articles demanding action for gender rights in the region.
We addressed demographic shifts through a workshop on Mauritius’ new migration dynamics. The Policy brief derived from this workshop provides clear actionable tools to build an inclusive and fair migration strategy.
We also critically evaluated the social safety net through publications on the future of the Mauritian Welfare State and the social sustainability of industrialisation.
Preparing the Region for greater digitalisation
Recognising the inevitability of technological transformation, we focused on readiness and ethics. We laid out a vision for the country in our publication "Towards an AI-First Mauritius", while simultaneously warning of the societal risks in articles concerning human-AI relationships.
We also provided tools for digital transformation in institutions
through our publication. Our goal has been to prepare the region not just to adopt Artificial Intelligence, but to govern it effectively for the benefit of society.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we enter 2026, we remain in the shadow of 2025’s extraordinary global shifts. We face new challenges to international law and a heightened awareness of how US domestic and foreign policies, and the resulting global reactions, will continue to shape our landscape. For the Western Indian Ocean region, these shifts represent both significant challenges and vital opportunities.
The world will continue to be characterised by deep uncertainties regarding the international legal framework, the global defense order, and the future of NATO. We see a burgeoning multipolar order alongside a resurgence of imperialist tendencies, a global trade regime still in flux, and a concerning decline in international finance and commitments to sustainable growth. Our region must also strategically navigate the rapid pace of technological change, ensuring we leverage its benefits while addressing its impact on labour markets, cybersecurity, and collective well-being.
The year 2025 was defined by the powerful voices of Generation Z, with protests in Togo, Kenya, Nepal, Madagascar, and Morocco, among others. In 2026, we must prioritise listening to the youth and addressing their aspirations for ethical governance and socioeconomic opportunity. We owe it to the next generation to help build the stable nation and healthy planet they envision.
While the ultimate impact of these changes on our regional economies and societies remains to be seen, our success will depend on our ability to seize the momentum of these shifts, whether driven by AI, new geopolitical positioning, or the evolving resource needs of other nations.
In Mauritius, the government has designated 2026 as the "Year of the Economy" and has presented its Vision 2050. This year also marks a historic expansion of our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) following the restitution of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. This milestone brings the profound challenge of ensuring the sustainable governance of this vast, extended maritime zone.
The Centre will remain at the heart of these critical challenges throughout 2026 with a special focus on ocean governance, the Youth, and technology and innovation.
Navigating a New Era of Ocean Governance
Mauritius is positioning itself as not just as a Small Island State but also as a "Big Ocean State". This milestone brings the profound responsibility of managing an increasingly larger Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Centre will address these challenges through WIO Futures 2026 in May, which will convene science, policy, and community experts to forge resilient pathways for the Ocean. We will continue this dialogue in August with The Plastic Tide, raising public and policymaker awareness on plastic pollution. In November a workshop on the Sustainable Management of Mauritius extended EEZ, will focus on sustainable governance & environmental protection.
Empowering the Youth for a Sustainable Future
Following the 2025 Gen Z protests and the wave of youth emigration, the Centre will dedicate 2026 to the youth and their agency . In April, our Youth Conference will foster an intergenerational dialogue, empowering young people to contribute to a smart and sustainable future for the region. Our March Workshop on Sustainable Tourism Strategy will also address the specific resource constraints facing future generations, such as coast, water and energy management.
Leading Through Technology and Innovation
As technology continues to disrupt global norms, the Centre will explore how the region can leverage these changes while mitigating their risks to well-being and labour. In June, we will host From Plan to Action, a workshop aimed at translating the national AI strategy into tangible infrastructure and ecosystem outcomes. Understanding the anxiety around automation, in September we will examine the impact of AI on the WIO labour markets with The Future of Jobs in the AI Era. Finally, in October, we will lead a debate on Launching a New Era of Research, exploring how Mauritius’s first national research strategy can foster the deep collaboration between academia and industry required for a modern, innovative economy.
Through these targeted initiatives, the Centre will continue to connect ideas for change, ensuring that the extraordinary shifts of 2026 become a foundation for regional resilience and growth. We will also see the publication of three Western Indian Ocean large-scale reports on Gender Inclusion, Youths Aspirations and Ocean Governance.
We look forward to another year of impactful dialogue and knowledge sharing, working alongside our partners and community to support our region not only in navigating change, but purposefully lead it.
Main photo from Freepik
Charles Telfair Centre is an independent, nonpartisan not for profit organisation and does not take specific positions. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed in our publications are solely those of the author(s).
