The Meeting for the Advancement of Research in the Indian Ocean region brings together many actors in the field of research and innovation, coming from 13 countries in that zone, as well as representatives from international organisations concerned by these domains.

This opportunity for discussion opens up a space for dialogue about shared problems in the different territories of the Indian Ocean zone - particularly natural hazards, water, demography, health, biodiversity, climate change, the sea, energy, new information technologies and biotechnologies.

Countries invited to the Meetings (South Africa, Australia, the Comoros Islands, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, La Réunion, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zimbabwe) share many characteristics but also have great differences - notably historical, cultural, geographic and economic ones.

However, in each of these countries, research has a place - sometimes in a budding state, sometimes quite developed. In most of these countries, public policy about science, technology and innovation is in a stage of mutation, often founded on a strategic vision and accompanied by a desire for co-ordination and promotion, as well as a strengthening of budgetary resources.

At the same time, actors in the field of research are more and more vocal about the need to get involved in co-operative activities. Everywhere, the need to create a network of stakeholders, optimise the synergy between national research organisations and develop international co-operation is highlighted.

We have also noticed that the link between research organisations and the private sector is often too flimsy and that research's impact on economic development is not sufficiently focused on. In particular; the potential of research to struggle against poverty is very little exploited.

This document presents an overview which does not pretend to be exhaustive. Each of the short, country-by-country monographs was prepared from documentary research whose results are necessarily different according to the country (amount or structure of information, existence or updating of statistical data, and so on).

Based on available information, a harmonised analytical grid has been employed, allowing to present the institutional context, main actors, finance sources, international co-operation, major research areas and fields of excellence for each country.

Thanks to its being made available to each and all, this overview should facilitate the identification of research actors and shared problematics in the Indian Ocean, as well as the emergence of projects and initiatives in the service of the co-development of an Indian Ocean Research Centre.