The French Senate is poised to approve a landmark bill aimed at revitalising the overseas department of Mayotte, signalling a renewed commitment to a region grappling with multiple crises.
The draft programme bill, which sets out nearly €4 billion in state investment over the next seven years, marks what the government calls an “historic step” in the reconstruction and future development of the Indian Ocean archipelago.
More than five months after Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc on Mayotte, the government is seeking to rebuild not just infrastructure, but trust and hope. Located between the Comoros and Madagascar, Mayotte is France’s 101st department and its poorest.
The bill being discussed tackles wide-ranging issues from healthcare and education to housing, security, and migration.