The Comoros

One of AFD's main priorities is to contribute to improving the healthcare system in the Comoros. Its work is centered primarily around maternal and child health, as well as providing access to care for the most vulnerable.

Five projects have helped to improve:

• the quality of care offered by the main hospitals in the country;
• access to obstetricians;
• maternal health on the island of Anjouan (maternity and healthcare centers);
• the quality of services and professionalism of Caritas Comoros and its healthcare center on Moroni;
• community healthcare.

Improving water access and quality

Only a very small part of the local population has access to drinking water. Creating water networks, boosting infrastructure performance and ensuring the sustainability of public services are all major issues for the Comorian government. AFD is committed to helping rural and urban stakeholders in the sector to:

• modernize and build water infrastructure on the three islands;
• support efforts to improve the professionalism of local operators and sector governance for better public services;
• preserve and increase the availability of resources to meet the needs of the growing population. 

Since 2017, AFD has been helping the Comorian government to implement sector reform and strengthen its governance system. 

Preserving marine and terrestrial biodiversity

The Comoros islands are located at the heart of the South Tanzania/North Mozambique/North West Madagascar biodiversity triangle. This area was identified as a priority marine region for classification as a UNESCO World Heritage marine site.  

As the only marine reserve to this day and the first protected nature reserve in the Comoros, the Moheli National Park contributes to protecting the biodiversity and marine resources of the North Mozambique coral triangle, the second most important area for reef biodiversity in the world. 

AFD supports the reserve with its conservation missions by:  

• consolidating park governance;
• supporting the creation of a trust fund to ensure long-term financing for protected areas in the Comoros;
• protecting biodiversity as well as marine and terrestrial resources;
• helping local communities to develop income-generating activities (fishing and ecotourism).

The Union of the Comoros is among those countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The assessment made in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) of 2015 identified certain challenges that must be met to help specific sectors to adapt to climate change (agriculture, water, infrastructure and health). 

To contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and respond to a request from the Union of the Comoros for help in implementing its INDCs, AFD put in place the Adapt'Action program, scheduled to last for a period of four years,  and with the objectives of:

• organizing "climate" governance that will meet the INDCs through capacity-building activities;
• incorporating the INDCs into sector-specific public policies and action plans to help adaptation, and perhaps encourage renewable energy;
• designing concrete programs and projects that are resolutely focused on adaptation to the effects of climate change.
   

In order to speed up development, AFD supports microfinance and works to consolidate the financial sector. We provide financing to the two main financial institutions in the Comoros, the Union des Meck and the Union des Sanduk d'Anjouan. We have also trained 70 Comorian interns through the Development Campus (former CEFEB).

Our support in the banking sector can also be seen in our work with the Central Bank of the Comoros to strengthen its supervisory role regarding the banking system.

Our efforts also aim to:

• develop regional economic integration;
• support initiatives for rural development (vanilla and ylang ylang cultivation);