The first steering committee meeting for Comoros' Economic Acceleration Program (Paie) took place on October 13 at the Retaj hotel. The meeting brought together high-ranking government officials, representatives from the European Union, and various technical and financial partners. The program aims to enhance the country's productive capacities, support local transformation, and facilitate access to regional and international markets for Comorian businesses.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Economy Moustoifa Hassane Mohamed, who emphasized that economic integration is a strategic choice for the Union of Comoros. He highlighted the opportunities presented by the country's participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (Zlecaf) and trade agreements with the European Union. However, he stressed that this commercial opening must translate into concrete results, particularly in terms of local production, investment, and job creation.
The Paie program seeks to address these challenges by strengthening the country's productive capacities, supporting local transformation, and facilitating access to regional and international markets. Special attention will be given to women, young people, and sustainable and inclusive growth. Minister Mohamed urged the committee to go beyond administrative follow-up and focus on coordinating interventions, identifying difficulties, and proposing adapted solutions.
The minister emphasized the need to define clear responsibilities, set realistic deadlines, and establish indicators to measure results. He called for collective mobilization from the state, private sector, consular chambers, and technical and financial partners. The government expects tangible results from the program, rather than empty commitments.
European Union chargé d'affaires Pavlos Evangelidis described the meeting as a foundational moment for the program's implementation. He stressed the importance of transparency in information sharing and the need for the steering committee to be a genuine decision-making space. Evangelidis also highlighted the lessons learned from the previous Apile program, which accompanied 70 businesses but faced challenges such as insufficient production and limited access to financing.
Evangelidis urged the committee to build on the successes of Apile while addressing its shortcomings. He warned that Paie should not be an extension of Apile and called for concrete actions to be presented in the coming months. The representatives of Onudi, Cnuced, and Uccia presented their respective roadmaps and program updates, sparking discussions on priorities, coordination, and actions to ensure the program's success.
The Paie program is a key initiative aimed at promoting economic integration and competitiveness in Comoros. The steering committee's work will be crucial in ensuring the program's effectiveness and achieving its objectives. The committee's next steps will focus on implementing the program's strategies and monitoring its progress.
Key points
- The Paie program aims to strengthen Comoros' productive capacities and facilitate access to regional and international markets.
- The program seeks to promote sustainable and inclusive growth, with a focus on women and young people.
- The steering committee emphasized the need for transparency, coordination, and concrete actions to ensure the program's success.
