Emmanuel Macron received his counterpart Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros, at the Élysée Palace this Friday, July 26, 2024, before receiving the heads of state and government for the inauguration of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Head of State first thanked President Assoumani for his presence in Paris for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Emmanuel Macron then expressed his condolences to President Assoumani following the death of seven members of the same Comorian family in the fire that occurred on the night of July 17 to 18 in Nice, and assured him of the determination of the French State to continue its investigation into the circumstances of this tragedy.
The counterparts met face-to-face to strengthen cooperation between the Union of the Comoros and France, by implementing the roadmap agreed in January 2023 in terms of solidarity development and in the priority areas of health, education and vocational training, as well as the fight against illegal immigration.
On May 9, 2023, his Comorian counterpart was received discreetly in the evening by President Emmanuel Macron against the backdrop of diplomatic tensions caused by the “Wuambushu” operation led by the French authorities in Mayotte to dislodge undocumented immigrants from shanty towns, the vast majority of whom came from the neighboring islands of the Comoros.
Of the estimated 350,000 inhabitants of Mayotte, half do not have French nationality.
In an interview published by the daily newspaper Le Monde, the Comorian president claims to have told Emmanuel Macron in early 2023 of his opposition to “this operation which consists of calling the press around the world to shout: “Look, we are going to repatriate the Comorians who are in Mayotte!” It could have been more discreet and effective. There is a flight and a boat between Mayotte and Anjouan”, a Comorian island, “every day”, he laments.
Azali Assoumani, “demands the lifting” of the visa imposed by France “which means that Mohélians, Grand Comorians and Anjouanais are not free to come and go to Mayotte, to see their family for example”.
The two leaders then agreed to strengthen cooperation between the Union of the Comoros and France, to implement the roadmap agreed in January 2023, in terms of solidarity development and health, education and professional training, as well as the fight against illegal immigration.
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