Cooperation partnerships
Through the Ministry of External Relations, the Union of the Comoros maintains bilateral and multilateral relations with several countries and international organizations. These relations, sealed by Conventions, Agreements and/or Protocols open the country to several contributions and exchanges. These relationships often involve sectors such as health, production, environment and education.
As part of the AU, the Union of the Comoros belongs to the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League. She is part of COMESA and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), which she chairs until the next IOC Council of Ministers, to be held in Moroni in April 2014.
The country has developed relations with Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Kuwait, Libya) and Iran, materialized by a visit by President Ahmadinejad to Moroni in 2009, the signing of several cooperation agreements and the start of military cooperation. New partner of the Comoros, Qatar organized in March 2010 a conference for their development during which more than 450M€ of donations were promised by the donors of the Gulf.
Relations with China have been nurtured since independence: construction of the People's Palace, support in the health sector, vocational training actions, assistance in settling the budget deficit within the framework of negotiations with the IMF and loan of 22 million euros granted on December 14, 2009.
With Japan represented by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Cooperation Agreements with the Ministry of National Education were signed leading to the reopening of the National School of Fishing and the Merchant Navy in Mirontsy, the construction of classrooms at the University of the Comoros and the publication of college history textbooks through the donation of rice, to name a few.
In Africa, the Comoros maintain special relations with the Kingdom of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal which has long represented the interests of Comorian students in certain countries where Comorian diplomatic representation was not in place.
Bilateral cooperation
In the Comorian diplomatic landscape, bilateral cooperation is exclusively represented by Comoros – France, Sino – Comorian relations.
The People's Republic of China has made constant efforts in favor of the Comoros, on the international scene and through the realization of numerous projects.
The achievements of the People's Republic of China in the Comoros are numerous and multifaceted, marked by the construction of the People's Palace, administrative buildings located opposite the People's Palace, the presidential palaces of Bonovo in Moheli, Patsy in Anjouan and Daché., in the island of Ngazidja.
China has also built and equipped, in Voidjou, the building which houses the National Radio and Television as well as the Annexes of the Ministry of External Relations and many other structures built in our islands and donated free of charge to our country.
Today, China is also carrying out projects for the extension of Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport and those relating to the construction of presidential residences in Ngazidja, Anjouan and Moheli.
Finally, let us recall the significant support that the People's Republic of China provides to our country, in many other priority areas for the country, such as the training of civilian executives and officers of the DNA, the supply of materials and equipment important for the benefit of various Comorian administrations.
While opposing each other on the question of the Comorian island of Mayotte, France and the Comoros remain privileged partners.
On June 21, 2013, President Ikililou Dhoinine and his counterpart signed a “Paris declaration on friendship and cooperation between France and the Comoros” which aims to rebuild the bilateral relationship by cooperating in several. A reinforced political dialogue was opened with the creation of a “high joint council” (HCP), which met in Paris in November 2013. The second meeting is scheduled in the Comoros in May 2014.
French cooperation with the Union of the Comoros follows the lines set out in the Framework Partnership Documents (DCP). A DCP was signed in 2006, consistent with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of the Union of the Comoros. A new DCP for the 2013-2014 period was signed on June 20, 2013 during the visit to France by the President of the Union of the Comoros, which provides for €33 million in commitments over the period.
Cooperation takes place through:
- activities managed by the Cooperation and Cultural Action Department of the French Embassy, the SCAC;
- activities of the French Development Agency (AFD);
- ad hoc activities at the request of the Comorian government;
- decentralized cooperation of local authorities, Reunion, PACA region;
- regional cooperation within the Indian Ocean Commission, of which France is also a member, in respect of Reunion.
A debt restructuring agreement, which cancels $6.8 million in French debts, i.e. a cancellation of all French debts under the conditions of official development assistance, was signed in June 2013.
Since 2013, a financing agreement has been signed between France and the Comoros for the implementation of a project which aims to improve the practice of the language of instruction, entitled "Projet d'Appui au français aux Comores ".
Multilateral cooperation
Since the independence of the Comoros in 1975, multilateral cooperation actions have been developed and concern sectors as varied as training, economic exchanges, the environment, tourism and fishing.
In terms of education and training, multilateral cooperation with the Comoros is much more oriented towards research (CIRAD Réunion, University of Réunion, CRVOI, etc.) and projects.
International institutions play a special role in the Comoros.
World Health Organization (WHO)
The mission of the WHO Country Office in the Comoros is to promote the attainment of the highest possible level of health for all the populations of this country, by collaborating with the Government and other partners in health development and by providing technical and logistical support to country programs.
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
UNDP Comoros is a reference center in terms of advice. It positions itself as a supplier of quality services, for the consolidation of the national reconciliation process and the resumption of international cooperation by facilitating the coordination and mobilization of resources, with the aim of achieving the MDGs, more particularly poverty reduction.
The United Nations agency for children (UNICEF)
Unicef is one of the main partners of the Comoros in the field of health, education and child protection. It is also, since the admission of the Comoros to the Global Partnership for Education (PME/GPE), the coordinating agency.
In Comoros, UNICEF works in three important areas. These are the survival and development of children, the education of children and the protection and social inclusion of children.
Regarding the area of child survival and development, actions will focus mainly on exclusive breastfeeding.
In the field of education, the objective is to support the Government to improve access to school (schooling of children), infrastructure and the quality of education. And to achieve this objective, actions will focus this year on the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, thanks to substantial funding from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE project) and the Educate A Child Foundation (EAC) in Qatar.
For protection, the support of the youth parliament is the request of the Comorian government. Also in this area, support for listening services in the autonomous islands, in order to fight against abuse and mistreatment of children is on the agenda.
European Union, delegation located in Mauritius
Since the 1st European Development Fund (EDF) in 1958, the main areas of cooperation between the European Union and the Comoros have concerned infrastructure and communications, the development of agriculture and fisheries, micro-projects and support for social sectors. Under the 9th EDF, the EU focused its aid on the education sector and intensified its support for good governance and civil society.
Under the 10th EDF, the EU is supporting the Comoros' development strategy by identifying the means to enable the country to consolidate its foundations for sustainable development.
Two priority areas have been defined for the period 2008-2013. The first concerns the development of transport infrastructure through PADDST projects, to facilitate trade and the development of agriculture as well as the private sector. The second area concerns education, in particular vocational and technical training (PAFTP) as well as improving the quality of education (PRePEEC). This program will be supplemented by aid for improving good governance and the country's institutional capacities, following the decentralized cooperation program initiated under the 9th EDF, in partnership with the support of other donors (France, UNDP, World Bank).
French Development Agency (AFD)
The AFD Group has been operating in the Comoros since 1974. A total of nearly 80 projects have been financed by the Agency, representing an overall commitment amount of nearly €100 million, mainly in the infrastructure and rural development sectors, but also in the financial sector and the upgrading of the economy. Project monitoring is ensured from the Moroni Agency.
AFD's strategy in the Comoros and the selected concentration sectors are in line with the guidelines for French aid defined in the France-Comoros Partnership Framework Document (DCP), itself consistent with the Poverty Reduction (PRSP) established by the Union of Comoros.