Drought in Mayotte: 750,000 liters of water pumped in Lozère and sent to the island at the initiative of Medef

The Ogeu group has more than amply helped the Mahorese population. Midi Libre – XAVIER ROUSSEAU ARCHIVE

The Ogeu group, owner of the Quézac brand, responded to a call from the French Business Movement (Medef), at the end of 2023. Patrick Martin, the president of the employers' organization, was in Lozère, this Thursday February 29, 2024, in particular to thank the company.

"Companies do a lot but communicate little", as Patrick Martin recalled, during his visit to Lozère, this Thursday, February 29. We had to wait for the arrival in the country of the sources of the president of the Movement of Companies of France (Medef) to learn that the Ogeu group, owner of Quézac mineral water, had more than amply participated, at the end of 2023, in a vast solidarity operation aimed at Mayotte.

The overseas department located in the Indian Ocean has been experiencing its most serious drought since 1997 since last summer, leading to a vast water shortage. 1.5 million liters were therefore pumped in mainland France, almost half of which in Lozère, before being bottled and shipped to the population of Mahor. "We responded to the call from Medef in Mayotte, confides Thierry Martin. We immediately contacted producers and transporters. The Ogeu group was very generous."

"The Quézac factory is emblematic"

For Patrick Martin, who succeeded Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux last July, this "huge operation demonstrates Medef's interest in all its territories& ;quot;. The employers' organization is also represented in all departments of France, whether metropolitan or overseas, "even the smallest and most remote ones, like Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon", specifies Bruno Arcadipane, vice-president of the movement.

The visit to Lozère of the two men was also a mark of support and friendship for the Medef of Lozère, chaired by Yohan Durand, and a desire "to better understand the economic fabric of the department". "The Quézac factory is emblematic, continues Patrick Martin. I found it particularly impressive."

Medef has some 190,000 member companies, "both SMEs and VSEs and large companies, in fields as varied as public works, building, industry or even services, lists the national president of the employers' union.

Visit of three accommodations in Mende

Patrick Martin, president of Medef, Yohan Durand, president of Medef de Lozère, Bruno Arcadipane, vice-president of Medef and president of Action Logement. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

Action Logement, a joint organization, whose main components are CPME, Medef, CGT, FO, CFDT, CFTC and CFE-CGC, contributed to the renovation of three large apartments, rue de la Chicanette, in Mende. This Thursday, February 29, 2024, Thierry Martin, president of Medef, and his vice-president, also at the head of Action Logement, took advantage of their visit to Lozère to visit these three properties. "Seven programs have developed more than 120 housing units for employees, in Mende, in the heart of the city, for a total budget of 6.5 million euros made up of subsidies and loans at subsidized rates for the Housing Action part, explains Bruno Arcadipane. Bringing back employees means supporting the&#39 ;territorial economy. It’s bringing purchasing power back to cities that lacked it. It’s putting children back in schools. It's reviving local shops."

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