India-Comoros Relations

Brief History

The Union of Comoros, a former French Colony, is an archipelago of three islands (Anjouan, Moheli, and the largest island, Grande Comore). A fourth island, Mayotte, is claimed by the Comoros but administered by France. The capital city, Moroni, is located on Grande Comore. The islands have a total land area of 2,171 square km (838 sq miles); Grande Comore with an area of 1,025 sq km (396 sq miles), Anjouan 424 sq km (164 sq miles), and Moheli 211 sq km (81 sq miles). Current population of Comoros is estimated approx. 8,00,000. The main ethnic groups are Antalote Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha Sakalava. On 23 December, 1974 Grande Comore, Moheli and Anjouan voted for independence from France, while Mayotte voted to stay with France. On July 6, 1975, the three islands unilaterally declared independence. In November 1975 Comoros became the 143 rd member of the UNO. The new nation was defined at that time as consisting of the entire acrchipelago, despite the fact that France maintained control of Mayotte. Mayotte officially became an overseas Department of France in March 2011. Comoros is predominantly a Muslim country with 98% population and Roman Catholics form 2% of the Population. Domination of Islam is reinforced by the existence of Koranic schools for children. The commonly used language is Shikomoro (Swahili dialect). French and Arabic are also widely spoken. Around 60% of the population is literate. The Comorans, inhabiting the islands of Grande Comore (also known as Ngazidja), Anjouan and Moheli share African-Arab origins. It is the only African country to be a member of AU, Francophonie, OIC, Arab League and IOC. The Comoros’ part-Arab heritage forms the basis for its membership in the Arab League, strengthened by the fact that the image of internal poverty makes it attractive to Gulf and other Arab charities. Comoros is the only Arab state in the southern hemisphere. Its Arab heritage also helps in fostering educational and cultural links with Morocco and Libya in north Africa. Indian Diaspora comprises of about 250 persons.

Recent Political Developments

Till recently Comoran politics were plagued by politically instability and civil strife with numberous coups and seccession attempts since independence from France in 1975. However, in 2000 the islands negotiated the nation’s current power-sharing agreement, in which each island has its own government and the federal presidency rotates among the three islands. This is known as Fomboni Accord of 2000. This was done to maintain the unity and integrity of the islands. According to the above power-sharing agreement of rotating presidency, Azali was sworn as the first Union President. He was from Grand Comore. He was replaced by Ahmed Abdullah Sambi, a Sunni Muslim religious leader and entrepreneur in the first-ever free and fair electoral process in May 2006. President Sambi’s mandate was due to expire on 26 May 2010 but he had expressed the wish to remain in office for an amendment so as to reduce the number of elections around the three islands and harmonize the electoral calendar to reduce expenditure on separate elections. The Comorian Parliament voted in favour of President Sambi and his mandate was extended to November 2011. However, the Constitutional Court overturned this decision in early May 2010. Comorian opposition leaders also strongly opposed the extension of Sambi and requested the government to respect the principle of rotating presidency. The AU again intervened in the Comorian conflict in June 2010 and proposed that both the presidential and gubernatorial elections be held simultaneously on 7 th November, 2010, with a second round of elections on December 26, 2010. According to the AU’s document, President Sambi would henceforth head an interim government only until the assumption of office by the President-elect. In the Presidential elections held on 26 December 2010, the sitting Vice-President Mr. Ikililou Dhoinine was elected as President of the Union of Comoros for the next 5 years. He took over as President formally in a colourful ceremony attended by a number of foreign dignitaries and diplomats in Moroni on 26 May 2011.

Economy

The country has suffered from chronic political instability for a number of years with repeated coups and secessionist leanings among the islands, and this troubled political climate has hampered its economic and social development. The Comoros, with an estimated GDP $ 741.4 mn with annual growth rate of 0.5% is one of the poorest nations in the world, and also economic growth is continually encumbered by a rapidly growing population, poor access to education, and scarcity of natural resources. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% of GDP and employs 80% of the labour force. Services (commerce and tourism) contributes 56% to GDP and industry the remaing 4%. The country largely depends on imports for food security including the major staple, rice, which accounts for the primary import. Main exports are Vanilla, Cloves, Yalang Yalang (perfume, oil) and copra. Being a poor country, Comoros is heavily dependent on aid from World Bank, IMF, EU, and other international agencies and donor countries. Among foreign countries, France traditionally provides budgetary support (a third of the budget). China has also been a regular and aggressive donor for Comoros starting right from its independence in 1975. It has recently granted an amount of 4.65 million Euros to build a hundred-bed hospital in Anjouan. China has just announced another amount of Euro 5 million to support basic education through construction of schools. Earlier, China had gifted a number of buildings including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly, Moroni International Airport, etc. It has also set up radio station and TV station in Moroni.

India- Comoros Bilateral Relations:

India established its diplomatic relations with the Union of Comoros in June 1976. Our Mission in Antananarivo is concurrently accredited to Comoros. India and Comoros have always enjoyed close and friendly relations. Both the countries have similarities of views on regional and global issues. Comoros is a supporter of India’s permanent membership of the UNSC. India is looked upon as a role model of development in Comoros. A proposal to set up a vocational training centre (VTC) in Moroni to impart skills in plumbing, welding, electricity, civil works, IT, etc. is under consideration of the Government of India. EXIM Bank of India has offered a concessional credit of 41.6 million US Dollars for setting up a power plant in Moroni. Pan African E-network started its operations in Comoros in September 2010. Government of India had also granted exemption from ban on export of 25,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice to the Union of Comoros to help relieve the food crisis in Comoros in 2008. The last VVIP visit took place in 2007 when President of the Union of Comoros Mr. Ahmed Abdullah Mohamed Sambi visited New Delhi from 4-8 November, 2007 at the invitation of India’s Prime Minister to participate in the 4 th International Conference on Federalism. The then Comorian External Relations & Cooperation Minister Mr. Fahmi Said Ibrahim paid an official visit to New Delhi to attend the LDCs Conference on 18-19 February 2011. Another important visit to India had been undertaken by Mr. Souef Mohamed El-Amine, the then Minister of External Relations & Cooperation in August 2004. Mr. Amine’s successor Mr. Ahmed Ben Said Djaffer visited India on July 25-28, 2006.

In October 2011, Shri Gurjit Singh, AS (E & SA), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, paid a visit to the Island to further strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries and also promised to take necessary steps to increase the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. During the visit announcement of an offer was made for an additional concessional credit of US Dollars 35 million for projects to be chosen by the Government of Comoros.

January 2012