Joined IORA Secretariat on 12 September 2022
Melyne Tarer has been seconded by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Government of France as International Expert to the IORA Secretariat since 12 September 2022. Melyne is the first international expert to the blue economy directorate of IORA Secretariat.
Melyne works with the Blue Economy team to strengthening of the Secretariat and the cooperation between member states, dialogue partners and international organisation. The main subjects she is in charge are seabed exploration and minerals, renewable energy. She brings with her analyst experience working on the integration and regional cooperation of the French Overseas territories, the marine development and marine preservation, humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR) development rescue, cooperation between civil security and military face the climate change, with diverse French Ministry and think-thank.
Melyne holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations, Master’s in international relations, Master’s in international strategy, prospective and geopolitics. She is a Geopolitical analyst and an international commercial engineer.
Jean-Baptiste Tobie is currently Project Manager and Expert for the “IORA Phase 2” project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France. He leads activities on Disaster Risk Management and Marine Debris, while also providing technical expertise to support the Secretariat’s institutional strengthening and operational reform. In this capacity, he coordinates a dedicated team and works closely with the IORA Secretariat and team.
He brings over 10 years of experience across West Africa, the Maghreb and the Indian Ocean, having held senior positions in project coordination and country direction with international NGOs and development agencies. His work has focused on sustainable development, climate resilience, child protection, education and community development, managing multidisciplinary teams and multi-country portfolios in complex operational contexts.
He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations (Sciences Po Rennes) and a Master’s degree in Agricultural Development and Economic Policies (IEDES, Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris), combining political, economic and technical expertise to support institutional development and international cooperation.
Margot Boval is a marine debris expert currently involved in the “IORA Phase 2” project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France. This initiative aims to improve the organizational and operational governance of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and strengthen its role as a regional leader in cooperation and sustainable development.
As part of her role, Margot leads the efforts of the component 2 of the project, which focuses on supporting IORA Member States in combating marine litter. She works closely with the various parties to implement the marine debris action plan, facilitating regional collaboration and promoting actions to reduce, manage and prevent marine debris.
In the IORA secretariat, she is part of the Blue Economy team.
Margot previously worked in French Polynesia, where she dealt with the beaching of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) on island coasts, giving her extensive experience of the challenges posed by marine litter management and its impact on ecosystems.
Mathilde Rullier is an expert in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and currently contributes to the IORA Phase II project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France. This initiative focuses on enhancing the organizational and operational governance of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and strengthening its leadership role in regional cooperation and sustainable development.
As a Technical Assistant, Mathilde Rullier works closely with the Disaster Risk Management Directorate, assisting IORA member states in strengthening their capacity to address all phases of the disaster management cycle—prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. She helps foster collaboration and the exchange of best practices among member states, ensuring that efforts to manage disaster risks are not only effective but also inclusive. Her work directly contributes to improving disaster resilience and capacity-building within the region.
Mathilde Rullier holds a PhD in Urban Planning and a Master's degree in International Cooperation. Her doctoral research focused on analyzing the implementation of major risk prevention public policies in Mayotte, exploring how these policies are embraced by the local population and translated into concrete, on-the-ground actions. This in-depth exploration of policy application further informs her approach to DRM, ensuring that strategies are both culturally relevant and practical.
