Comoros Passport

[Country Name] Union of the Comoros (Union of the Comoros, Union des Comores).

【 Area 】 2236 square kilometers (including Mayotte Island).

The population is approximately 870000 (as of 2023). It is mainly composed of descendants of Arabs, Kaff, Magoni, Umamacha, and Sakalava. Universal Comorian language, with official languages being Comorian, French, and Arabic. More than 95% of the residents believe in Islam, mainly the Sunni sect.

Moroni, the capital, has a population of approximately 79000. The hot season is from November to May of the following year, with an average temperature of 24-31 ℃, while the cool season is from June to October, with an average temperature of 19-27 ℃.

President Azali Assoumani was elected in May 2016, re elected in April 2019, and re elected in January 2024.

National Day: July 6th.

[Overview] The island nation in the western Indian Ocean is composed of four islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan, Morelli, and Mayotte. Located at the northern entrance of the Mozambique Channel, approximately 300 kilometers east and west of Madagascar and Mozambique respectively. Tropical maritime climate with an average annual temperature of 23-28 ℃.

Before the invasion of Western colonizers, it was ruled by Arab sultans for a long time. In 1841, France invaded Mayotte Island. In 1912, the four islands of Comoros became French colonies. In 1946, it became a French "Overseas Territory". Obtained internal autonomy in 1961. On July 6, 1975, Comoros gained independence and established the state of Comoros, with Ahmed Abdullah serving as its president. On October 22, 1978, the country changed its name to the Islamic Federal Republic of Comoros. In March 1990, Said Mohamed Djohar was elected as the President, forming the first multi-party coalition government since the independence of Kosovo. In September 1995, the former leader of the presidential guard, the head of the mercenary army and the Frenchman Denar launched a military coup, President Jowhar was imprisoned, and Prime Minister Kaabi established a transitional government. After being released, Johar was sent to Reunion Island for "treatment" and announced the establishment of a legitimate government, resulting in a coexistence of two governments. In January 1996, the presidential and prime ministerial factions achieved reconciliation and organized presidential elections on March 16, in which Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim was elected. In July 1997, Anjouan Island demanded independence from Comoros and became part of France, and declared independence in October. In November 1998, Taki passed away and Taki Ding was appointed as the acting president. On April 19-23, 1999, representatives of various islands and political parties held an inter island conference under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity and Madagascar, and reached the Tananarive Agreement, which decided to establish the Union of Nations of C ô te d'Ivoire with high autonomy for each island. However, the representative of Anjouan Island refused to sign. On April 30th, Colonel Azali, the Chief of Staff of the Kosovo Army, launched a military coup and came to power. After Azali came to power, a new government led by civil servants was formed, which absorbed a wider range of political party representatives to participate in politics and basically stabilized the situation in Kosovo. At the same time, A actively sought dialogue with the authorities of Anjouan Island. In August 2000, A signed the "Fengbo Communist Party of Nepal Joint Declaration" with Anjouan Island leader Abed, agreeing in principle to carry out national reconciliation and deciding to establish a "Comoros New Collective" with a federal nature. In February 2001, the government of Comoros, opposition parties, authorities of Anjouan Island, representatives of various islands, and the African Union signed the Comoros Reconciliation Framework Agreement, officially launching the comprehensive national reconciliation process in Comoros. On December 23rd, Comoros passed a new constitution draft and decided to establish the Union of Comoros, granting the four islands a high degree of autonomy. In March April 2002, the imperial examination conducted a general election and Azali was elected president. On December 20, 2003, the government of the Union of Comoros reached a "Comoros Transitional Measures Agreement" with the three islands except Mayotte, reaching a compromise on issues such as parliamentary elections, power distribution between the Union and the three islands. In June 2007, former local leader Bakar of Ang Island illegally held local elections and declared his victory as "re elected", disregarding President Ko's order, and his relationship with the coalition government deteriorated. The African Union Peace and Security Council has passed a resolution calling for sanctions to be imposed on the authorities of Ang Island. In February 2008, the African Union summit issued a statement calling on member states to provide all necessary support to the government of Kosovo in restoring jurisdiction over the island of Ang in accordance with the law. In March, the government army of Kosovo, along with a coalition of 600 Tanzanian and Sudanese soldiers, took military action to control the island of Ang. In June, the election for the chairman of Ang Island was held.

In November December 2010, Comoros held two rounds of presidential elections, and former Vice President Ikililou Dhoinine was elected as the new President of the Union. On May 26, 2011, Ikililu was inaugurated as the President of the Alliance. In May 2016, Azali won the presidential election and regained control of the situation. On May 26, 2016, President Azali was sworn in. In February 2018, Comoros held a national dialogue and consultation conference, which reached consensus on reforming the presidential rotation system, abolishing the position of Vice President, and abolishing the Constitutional Court. In March 2019, Comoros held presidential elections and President Azali was re elected. In January 2024, President Azali won re-election.

On December 23, 2001, Comoros adopted its fourth constitution since independence, which was amended on May 17, 2009. According to the revised constitution, a three-dimensional system of separation of administrative, legislative, and judicial powers will be implemented. The alliance has one president and three vice presidents. The President is the head of state and government, as well as the supreme commander of the military, who rotates from island to island and serves a term of five years. Each island government implements autonomy while respecting national unity. The Vice President is responsible for coordinating and supervising the administrative agencies of each autonomous island to govern in accordance with the law. In July 2018, President Azali pushed for a constitutional amendment that would change the President's non renewable term and three island rotation to allow the incumbent President to be re elected once and three island rotation, and abolish the position of Vice President.

The National Assembly is the highest legislative body of the alliance, with a total of 33 members, of whom 24 are elected through direct elections, and the rest are composed of 3 members designated by each island council (local council), responsible for discussing and passing national laws and regulations, national budgets, supervising government actions, etc. It has a standing committee and 4 standing committees, each with 8 members. Two regular meetings are held annually, with the first meeting held on the first Friday of April and the second meeting held on the first Friday of October. Each meeting shall not exceed 3 months.

From January to February 2020, the imperial examination system held legislative elections, with the ruling party winning 20 seats and the opposition and independent candidates winning the remaining 4 seats. The speaker is Moustadrine Abdou, former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment.

The current government was established in July 2024, with the following main members: President Azali Assoumani, Minister of Energy, Water and Fuel Aboubacar Said Anli, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Handicrafts Daniel Ali Bandar, Minister of Youth, Employment, Labour, Sports, Arts and Culture Inayati Sidi (female), Minister of Territorial Development, Urbanization, Real Estate Affairs and Land Transport Miroidi Aboudou Idarousse, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Arab Affairs, Overseas Mbae Mohamed, Minister of Diaspora, French Speaking Countries and African Integration, Mahamoud Fakridine, Minister of Interior, Decentralization, Land Management and Coordination of State Institutions Relations; Moustoifa Hassani Mohamed, Minister of Economy, Industry, Investment and Economic Integration; Ibrahim Mohamed Abdurazak, Minister of Finance, Budget and Banking; Said Omar Houmadi, Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs, Public Administration, Human Rights and Public Administration; Fatima Ahamada, Minister for Gender Equality, Solidarity and Information and Government Spokesperson; and Umri, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Transparency. Oumouri Madi Hassani, Andili Lieda, Minister of Air and Sea Transport; Bacar Mvoulana, Minister of National Education, Teaching, Research, Training and Employment; Nassuha Oussene Salim, Minister of Health and Social Security; and Abubakar Ben Mahmoud, Minister of Environment and Tourism.

The administrative divisions are divided into three autonomous islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheili. The island is divided into counties, townships, and villages, with 7, 5, and 3 counties respectively, for a total of 24 townships. Mayotte Island is currently under French control.

According to the Constitution of the Federation of Judicial Institutions, the Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority for judicial, administrative, and financial issues of the Federation and the islands, with judges serving for life. The Constitutional Court is responsible for reviewing the constitutionality of the laws of the Alliance and the islands, confirming election results, adjudicating election disputes, and ruling on disputes over jurisdiction between Alliance institutions and between the Alliance and the islands. In April 2018, the Kosovo government temporarily transferred the responsibilities of the Constitutional Court to the Supreme Court.

There are currently over 50 political parties and groups in the Department of Political Parties. The main ones are:

(1) Convention pour le Renouveau des Comores (CRC): Established on July 21, 2002. The purpose is to defend national unity, territorial integrity, and the achievements of national reconciliation, and support actions to eliminate poverty. The main institutions include the National Council, Regional Council, Political Council, Executive Bureau, and Permanent Secretariat. Youssoufa Mohamed Ali serves as the General Secretary. President Azali is the founder and honorary chairman of the party.

(2) Front National pour la Justice (FNJ): an Islamic political party. Established on November 19, 1990, it was recognized as legal by the state in 1992. The purpose is to strive for peace and stability, and to resolve the crisis of national division through dialogue. Once sent a delegation to participate in an international conference to resolve the crisis on Anjouan Island, and was one of the signatories of the relevant documents. General Secretary Ahmed Achid. Former President Sambi is one of the founders of the party.

(3) The Comoros Democratic Progressive Movement (Mouvement pour la D é mocratie et le Progr è s), MDP）： Established in December 1988, the members are mostly businessmen. Internally advocating for the implementation of a multi-party system, economic liberalization, and privatization; Advocating non alignment, neighborly friendship, and developing relations between countries on the basis of mutual respect for sovereignty. The party was an opposition party during the reigns of Abdullah, Jokhang, and Azali. Chairman Abbas Djoussouf.

【 Important Person 】 Azali Asomani: President of the Union of Comoros. Born on December 31, 1959. Since 1986, he has successively served as the Director of Immigration at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Military Affairs Officer in the Office of the President, Commander of the National Defense Forces, and Chief of the General Staff. The coup came to power in April 1999. Elected as the President of the Union of Comoros in April 2002 and stepped down in May 2006. Elected as president again in May 2016 and re elected in April 2019. 2023？ Reelection

One of the least developed countries in the world. The economy is mainly based on agriculture, and the production of spices such as vanilla, cloves, and eagle claw orchids ranks among the top in the world, earning it the nickname "Spice Island". The industrial foundation is fragile and heavily reliant on foreign aid. The "Structural Adjustment Program" formulated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund began to be implemented in May 1991. At the end of 2012, Keda announced to the International Monetary Fund that Keda had reached the completion point of the "heavily indebted poor countries initiative" debt reduction plan. After taking office, President Azali introduced multiple measures to benefit the people, reducing prices of food, daily necessities, and petroleum products, attaching importance to infrastructure construction, and actively promoting projects such as the renovation of the national road network and the construction of new thermal power plants. In 2017, the government proposed the "2030 Emerging Countries" development strategy, which aims to focus on promoting water resource development and infrastructure construction such as roads and ports, improving the health and education systems, and developing digital and innovative technologies. In 2023, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to reach approximately 1.35 billion US dollars, with a GDP growth rate of 2.7% and a per capita GDP of 1587 US dollars (source: World Bank database). In February 2024, Comoros officially became a member of the World Trade Organization.

[Resources] No mineral resources. Water resources are scarce. The fishery resources are relatively abundant.

The industry has a weak foundation and small scale, mainly consisting of agricultural product processing industries, as well as printing factories, pharmaceutical factories, Coca Cola bottling factories, cement hollow brick factories, and small clothing factories.

Agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishery are agricultural countries, with 57.4% of the labor force engaged in agricultural production. The total arable land area in China is over 70000 hectares. The output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery accounts for about 40% of the gross domestic product, and the main grain crops are rice, corn, and potatoes. Grain cannot be self-sufficient and needs to be imported from abroad. Lilac, vanilla, ylang ylang and other economic crops are the main sources of foreign exchange income for Ke. In recent years, animal husbandry has developed and there are two chicken farms on the island of Grande Comore. Oil, grains, meat, and milk are mainly imported from France, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Madagascar. The fishery resources are relatively abundant, with the main fish species being tuna, red fish, and green fish. But it can only be caught near the coast, and the catch cannot meet domestic needs. There are currently over 8000 fishermen with an annual catch of approximately 16000 tons. The Kosovo government has signed a fishing agreement with the European Union.

The tourism industry is rich in tourism resources, with beautiful island scenery and distinct Islamic culture, but the tourism resources still need to be fully developed. The Galawa Sun Resort Hotel, located on the island of Grande Comore, is the largest tourist facility in the country.

There is no railway, and the transportation on the island is by car, while the transportation between islands is by ship and plane. Since independence, the government's investment in transportation has accounted for over half of all economic construction funds.

Highway: Total length of 880 kilometers.

Water transportation: The state-owned Comoros port and shipping company has three passenger and cargo ships, with an annual throughput of about 100000 tons. Muchamudou Port is the largest port in Kosovo, capable of accommodating 25000 ton ships.

Air freight: There is Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (Hahaya Airport) with a runway length of 2400 meters. Yemen, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Air France have flights stopping. State owned airlines operate flights between the four islands, while private airlines undertake air transportation services.

Fiscal revenue mainly relies on taxes and foreign aid, and the deficit remains high. According to the economic restructuring plan, the government has made efforts to reduce public spending in recent years. The main multilateral creditors include the World Bank, African Development Bank, Arab Bank for African Development, International Monetary Fund, etc. France is the largest bilateral creditor country of Cote d'Ivoire.

There are five banks: the Central Bank of Comoros (la Banque Centrale des Comores), established in 1962 and adopted its current name after the independence of Comoros in 1975; Comoros Industrial and Commercial Bank (la Banque pour l'Industrie et le Commerce) became a branch of Paris National Bank in C ô te d'Ivoire at the end of 1990, with a registered capital of 6 million French francs; Comoros Development Bank (la Banque de Development des Comores), with a registered capital of 6 million French francs and 50% owned by the government; Comoros National Savings Bank (la Caisse nationale d'epargne); EXIM Banque, established in 2008 with investment from Tanzania.

Almost all daily necessities rely on imports for foreign trade. Mainly importing petroleum products, transportation vehicles and spare parts, rice, etc. The main export products are spices and other agricultural products, with cloves, vanilla, and ylang ylang ylang as the three major export spices. The main export destinations are France, India, Germany, Pakistan, etc., and the main import sources are the United Arab Emirates, France, China, Madagascar, etc.

Infrastructure construction mainly relies on foreign aid. The United Nations system (including the World Bank) ranks first in foreign aid, accounting for about 30%, while other multilateral aid accounts for 24%. France is the largest aid donor, with other donors including the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan, the United States, China, and others. In 2001, the World Bank provided $6 million in poverty alleviation loans to Kosovo, and the Arab League Summit established a $10 million special fund for the national reconciliation process in Kosovo. At the "Friends of Comoros" conference held in Paris in July, Comoros received a total of $12.8 million in international aid. In 2002, the financial dispute on various islands led to the cancellation of aid programs by the European Union, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and others. In December 2005, the Round Table Conference on Aid to Science and Technology was held in Mauritius, where France, the European Union, and others raised nearly $200 million to implement the "Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy" and "Action Plan for 2006-2009" for science and technology. In December 2008, the International Monetary Fund provided $17.5 million in assistance to Kosovo through the "Post Conflict Economic Assistance Program". In March 2010, the Qatari government, along with the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the United Nations Development Programme, jointly held a conference in Doha to support the development and investment of the Union of Comoros, raising $540 million in aid and investment projects for the country. In December 2012, Comoros passed the decision point review of the heavily indebted poor countries initiative by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. In September 2013, the World Bank provided $27.3 million in non repayable aid to promote the development of the telecommunications and energy sectors in the country. In November, China and the African Development Bank signed an economic assistance agreement, in which the African Development Bank will provide $20.1 million in free aid to China to help accelerate the construction of the power grid. In December, the International Monetary Fund confirmed that it had reached the completion point of the heavily indebted poor countries' debt reduction program. In February 2015, the African Development Bank provided $18 million in non repayable assistance to Hydro Corporation. In March, the European Union signed a cooperation agreement with Cote d'Ivoire to provide 68 million euros in free aid from 2014 to 2020. In April, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, and the Department signed an agreement to provide $13 million in free aid to the department. In May, the European Union signed an agreement with Cote d'Ivoire to provide 6 million euros in free aid to repair 118 kilometers of roads. In the same month, the African Union signed a cooperation agreement with Cote d'Ivoire, providing $1.14 million in free aid to support geothermal development projects jointly implemented by the Cote d'Ivoire government, New Zealand, and the United Nations Development Programme. In February 2017, the African Development Bank signed a $20 million aid agreement with Cote d'Ivoire to support the country's national road repair plan. In March, the World Bank signed an agreement with Kuwait to provide $2.5 million in non repayable assistance for the implementation of the second national census plan. In August, the World Bank announced that it would provide at least $20 million in aid to the government of Kosovo over the next three years to support its economic development plan. In December 2019, Comoros held the "Comoros Development Partner Countries Conference" in Paris, France to raise funds for its "2030 Emerging Countries" strategy. France, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and other countries, as well as international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and relevant multinational corporations, have pledged to provide 4.3 billion euros in financial support for the country.

According to the Human Development Index (HDI) of the 2021/2022 Human Development Report, in 2020, China ranked 156th out of 191 countries and regions worldwide. 82% of the population in the country can enjoy basic healthcare services. There is one doctor for every 7500 people, one hospital bed for every 342 people, and 10 telephones for every 1000 people. 80% of the population suffers from varying degrees of malaria. The average life expectancy is 58 years for males and 63 years for females.

The armed forces of science and technology are composed of four parts: the military, gendarmerie, police, and intelligence agencies. The military was formed in December 1990 by the merger of the armed forces and the former presidential guard. Organized as a command and support company, two combat companies, and a presidential security detachment. Implement a voluntary military service system, where officers and non commissioned officers are recruited from high school graduates and their length of service is determined according to their needs. Soldiers are recruited irregularly, with no strict age limit, and generally serve for 15 years.

The President is the supreme commander of the military, and the National Defense Representative (equivalent to the Minister of Defense) and Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office are responsible for practical work. France has signed a "defense agreement" with Cote d'Ivoire, responsible for its sea and air defense, and its warships regularly patrol the waters of Cote d'Ivoire. France has a naval base and a garrison headquarters on Mayotte Island.

Cultural education is divided into two major systems: traditional education based on the Quran and modern education. Quranic traditional education is run by local collectives without interference from the state. Modern education adopts the French model and is managed by the Ministry of Science and Education. The school teaches in French, Comorian, and Arabic. The educational system consists of 6 years of primary school, 3 years of junior high school, and 4 years of high school. High schools are divided into regular high schools and vocational and technical high schools (with a duration of 3 years). The primary school enrollment rate is 65%, the secondary school enrollment rate is 17%, and the adult (15 years old and above) illiteracy rate is 44%. In November 2003, the first university of Comoros was established. In addition, providing scholarships abroad is an important way for science students to receive higher education. Since the mid-1990s, the budget for science and education has consistently accounted for around 22% of the total national budget, with education workers making up 40% of the salaried workforce.

【 News Publishing 】 Ke Wu News Agency, international news is mainly collected and compiled from Agence France Presse, while domestic news is provided by official journalists stationed in various regions. The French newspaper "Zuguobao" is the official newspaper, sometimes with a section in Comorian. Mainly distributed domestically, with some sold in France. Comoros Radio is a national radio station established during the French colonial period, mainly broadcasting in Comorian language. It broadcasts news three times a day in French and sometimes in Arabic, Malagasy, and Swahili. In April 1991, the medium and short wave transmission stations built with free assistance from Germany were put into use, covering all four islands in the country.

In May 2006, the national television station built with Chinese aid officially started broadcasting and began broadcasting programs on the French channel of China Central Television every day. In 2012, China Central Television and China Radio International landed in Comoros. There is a private television station on Anjouan Island that broadcasts local news in Comorian and rebroadcasts French television programs.

We attach great importance to unity and cooperation with neighboring countries in the Indian Ocean, advocate the establishment of a peace zone in the Indian Ocean, and actively develop relations with Arab countries. It is a member state of the African Union, the Arab League, the Indian Council, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community. Served as the rotating chair of the African Union from February 2023 to February 2024.