Reconstruction of Mayotte – France and AKF sign MoU for lagoon protection

Paris, France, 8 June 2026 – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today in Paris at the Hôtel de Montmorin by Naïma Moutchou, Minister for Overseas Territories; Christophe Lecourtier, Chief Executive Officer of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD); Shamir Samdjee, Official Representative of the Ismaili Imamat to the French Republic; and Dr Matt Reed, Global Director of Institutional Partnerships at the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), in the presence of Prince Hussain Aga Khan and Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan. The MoU applies to Mayotte and covers areas such as environmental protection, agriculture, water and waste management, with a particular focus on restoring biodiversity in mangrove ecosystems following the destruction caused by Cyclone Chido, and more broadly on supporting the agroecological transition in Mayotte.

Following the disaster caused by Cyclone Chido, which struck the island of Mayotte in December 2024, His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the people of Mayotte and informed the French Government of his intention to provide support for the people of Mayotte and the island’s reconstruction. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Naïma Moutchou, Minister for Overseas Territories, recalled that this gesture of solidarity "demonstrates the bond of trust that unites the Ismaili Imamat and France”.

Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan also highlighted the long and meaningful relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and France, noting: “Our shared conviction is that environmental recovery is not separate from human recovery. Healthy ecosystems protect communities, sustain livelihoods and create the conditions for long-term resilience.”

The declaration of intent regarding cooperation on the Indian Ocean Coastal Regeneration Initiative and support for Mayotte’s reconstruction and development, signed by the French Government and the Ismaili Imamat on 11 July 2025 in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron and His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, provided for the drafting of an initial memorandum of understanding aimed at implementing this cooperation and defining its first concrete joint projects.

The work underway in Mayotte forms part of a broader coastal regeneration initiative in the Indian Ocean, led by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in several countries across the region where it has been active for many decades. It will benefit from the experience gained by AKDN in other parts of the region.

Following the memorandum signed last month at the Africa Forward Summit for AFD-AKDN cooperation in Tanzania, today’s MoU sets out initial projects in Mayotte worth €8.5 million. These projects have been selected for their contribution to the regeneration of the lagoon and are funded by AKF as part of the reconstruction and development strategy for Mayotte being implemented by France. AFD has been appointed to coordinate this cooperation.

The projects will be led by the public bodies Mayotte Marine Natural Park, the Coastal Conservation Agency and the Mayotte Public Agency for Reconstruction and Development, and will address coastal water quality, the sustainable development of the fishing industry, measures to provide mangrove and back-mangrove sites with management plans, and the adaptation of agroecological and forestry practices to combat erosion at the watershed level.

These initiatives also form part of the support for the process of registering the Mayotte lagoon on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

France and the Ismaili Imamat are delighted to see this cooperation progressing for the benefit of the reconstruction and development of Mayotte and regional cooperation with the Aga Khan Foundation.