African Union: Comoros leadership puts island nations’ priorities on the agenda

The expected takeover of the African Union chairmanship by Comoros later this month will put an island nation in the driver’s seat for the first time in the organisation’s 20-year history, spotlighting priorities that often get overshadowed by continental concerns.

From trade and development to climate change and big power competition, Africa’s insular states are confronted with a host of issues that impact them differently than their big brothers on the mainland.

With Comoros President Azali Assoumani set to replace Senegal’s Macky Sall later this month at the annual AU heads of state summit in Addis Ababa, environmental concerns are expected to get top billing over the coming year.

“We are concerned by climate change as a developing island nation,” Assoumani told The Africa Report on the margins of the December US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington. “While it’s true the big countries are also impacted, it’s not the same dimension.”

Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan echoed those sentiments at a discussion co-moderated by The Africa Report and the Atlantic Council’s Africa Centre during the Washington summit.