French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s statement regarding the conditioning of development aid on migration cooperation has sparked widespread condemnation in the Comoros. The government, the opposition, and civil society organizations have denounced Paris’s intention to link its aid to Moroni’s cooperation in combating irregular migration to Mayotte.
“The remarks made by Mr. Lecornu regarding the so-called development aid carry an unbearable condescension,” Comorian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Mbae told AFP on Thursday. He deemed the French Prime Minister’s statement “surprising in several respects” and believes it is “totally disconnected from the expectations of the population of the Comorian island of Mayotte.”
The opposition has also reacted to the French declaration. The Ushe party denounced it as “scandalous blackmail” and stated that the French position is incompatible with the rhetoric of friendship displayed by Paris toward the Comoros.
Civil society has joined in this condemnation. The NGO Comité Maore described the measure as “unacceptable blackmail” and accused France of pursuing a neocolonial policy. For its part, Ushe denounced “intolerable hypocrisy” in the relations between the two countries.
Sébastien Lecornu announced on Wednesday, during a visit to Mayotte, that development aid granted to the Comoros and six other African countries would be linked to their cooperation with France on migration issues. The countries concerned are the Comoros, Burundi, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, and Kenya. Paris plans to introduce “bonus-malus” criteria regarding cooperation in the fight against smugglers, the issuance of consular passes, and the readmission of nationals in irregular situations.
In Mayotte, the French Prime Minister specified that aid would be linked, in particular, to the ability of the countries concerned to take back their nationals in irregular situations and to participate in the fight against smuggling networks.
This announcement comes against a backdrop of regularly strained relations between Paris and Moroni over Mayotte. The island remained French during the independence of the Comoros in 1975 and continues to be claimed by the Union of the Comoros. The migration issue has been one of the main subjects of tension between the two countries for several years.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-29 09:54:00 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://2424.mg/ocean-indien-les-acteurs-politiques-et-civils-comoriens-denoncent-le-chantage-de-la-france-de-conditionner-son-aide-au-developpement-a-la-cooperation-migratoire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ocean-indien-les-acteurs-politiques-et-civils-comoriens-denoncent-le-chantage-de-la-france-de-conditionner-son-aide-au-developpement-a-la-cooperation-migratoire