Policies
The Policies section outlines the major government policies and frameworks guiding Mohéli’s development across different sectors. These policies serve as roadmaps for decision-making and are aligned with both the Union of Comoros’ national policies and Mohéli’s local priorities. Below are key policy areas and highlights:
Economic and Financial Policy
Mohéli’s economic policy focuses on sustainable growth, fiscal responsibility, and creating an investor-friendly climate. The government adheres to the Union’s overarching strategy, the Emerging Comoros Plan 2030, which is the national development vision adopted in 2019 to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals . Under this plan, Mohéli emphasizes inclusive growth: supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), boosting key sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and eco-tourism, and encouraging foreign direct investment in areas that create local jobs.
A pro-business Investment Code provides incentives such as tax breaks, streamlined business registration, and land lease options for approved projects. Mohéli’s financial policy is coordinated with the Central Bank of Comoros to maintain stability – the local government ensures prudent spending and maximization of its budget allocations. Annual budgets are crafted with a focus on high-impact investments in infrastructure, education, and health, reflecting a policy choice to invest in human and physical capital.
On the fiscal side, Mohéli follows a policy of low taxation to spur enterprise (leveraging the Union’s low corporate tax environment) while improving tax collection efficiency on existing taxes (like property and business taxes). The policy also calls for diversifying revenue, including through modest growth of the offshore corporate registry and fishing license fees, to reduce over-reliance on Union transfers. Financial transparency and anti-corruption measures are integral – strict procurement guidelines and audits are enforced as policy to ensure public funds are used effectively.
Education and Human Capital Policy
Education is seen as the cornerstone of Mohéli’s future, and the government’s policy is to provide quality education for all. In line with Comoros’ national Education Sector Plan, Mohéli’s policy measures include achieving 100% primary enrollment and completion, improving secondary education outcomes, and expanding technical/vocational training. The Education for All Policy has led to the abolition of primary school fees and the provision of free textbooks, easing the burden on families and increasing attendance. There is a strong policy push for gender parity in education – ensuring girls have equal access and tackling any cultural or economic barriers that might keep girls from schooling. As a result, Mohéli now has as many girls as boys in primary schools and rising female enrollment in secondary schools.
Teacher training and curriculum reform are part of policy to improve quality: Mohéli implements the national curriculum but supplements it with local content (such as lessons on environmental conservation and local history) and languages (students learn in French and Comorian, with Arabic taught for religious and cultural education). There’s also a Literacy and Lifelong Learning Policy targeting adults who missed formal schooling, reflecting the belief that it’s never too late to learn basic skills.
For higher education and vocational skills, Mohéli’s policy (aligned with Union directives) has been to decentralize opportunities – hence the creation of the Mohéli satellite campus of the national university and the strengthening of vocational centers. Fields like agriculture, mechanics, IT, and hospitality are prioritized based on Mohéli’s economic needs. By building human capital through these policies, the government aims to empower youth, reduce unemployment, and equip the workforce to participate in and drive economic growth.
Healthcare and Social Policy
In the health sector, Mohéli follows a National Health Policy adapted to local context, focusing on primary healthcare reinforcement, disease prevention, and equitable access. Key policy goals include improving maternal and child health, combating communicable diseases (like malaria, which has been significantly reduced through policy-led bed net distribution and community health education), and managing emerging non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and hypertension) through awareness and early screening.
One hallmark is the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Policy – pregnant women receive free prenatal consultations and deliveries at public facilities, and children under a certain age get free essential health services. This policy has already led to higher rates of attended births and immunizations on Mohéli . The government also endorses the Union’s Universal Health Coverage roadmap, aiming to eventually have a system where all citizens have health insurance or access to care without financial hardship.
On social protection, Mohéli’s policies emphasize caring for vulnerable groups. The National Social Protection Policy has been extended locally to include programs like conditional cash transfers for the poorest families (e.g., a stipend provided that children attend school and health check-ups), and community-based rehabilitation and support for persons with disabilities. There is also an adherence to the Gender Policy at national level – which mandates gender mainstreaming in all programs and specific interventions to protect women’s rights. Mohéli’s local statutes and regulations have been updated to criminalize domestic violence and support survivors, in line with this policy.
Another aspect is Housing and Urban Social Policy – to improve living conditions, the government has a policy encouraging proper sanitation (through building latrines and clean water supply in every village, much of which has been achieved via donor-funded projects) and discouraging the growth of informal settlements by planning urban expansion with basic services.
Collectively, these healthcare and social policies strive to build a healthy, resilient community. They are guided by the principle that development must be people-centered – reducing inequality and ensuring that the benefits of progress reach every household.
Environmental and Climate Policy
Mohéli’s environmental policy is one of its proudest, aligning with the Union’s commitments under international conventions and showcasing local innovation. The Environmental Protection Policy on Mohéli sets strict rules on conservation: it reinforces the legal status of Mohéli National Park and other sensitive ecosystems, establishes community management of natural resources, and promotes environmental education in schools and villages. This policy has concrete outcomes like bans on destructive fishing practices, regulations on sand mining from beaches, and replanting of mangroves and forests.
In response to climate change, Mohéli upholds Comoros’ Climate Policy and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which includes goals to increase renewable energy use and protect carbon sinks. Comoros aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (by 23% from business-as-usual levels) , and Mohéli contributes through its solar projects and reforestation efforts. The island’s Climate Adaptation Plan is a key policy document that guides building seawalls in prone areas, implementing rainwater harvesting, and developing early warning systems for extreme weather. Moreover, a Renewable Energy Policy encourages solar and wind investments – this dovetails with incentives for businesses or homes that install solar panels, including customs duty exemptions for renewable energy equipment and the possibility to sell excess power back to the grid (net metering).
Local empowerment is part of environmental policy: Mohéli supports “Local Environmental Committees” in each village under a policy framework that decentralizes certain environmental decisions. For instance, villages have a say in how fishing zones are managed or which areas need reforesting, which has increased compliance and community buy-in.
Through these policies, Mohéli actively preserves its natural capital and contributes to global efforts against climate change, all while ensuring that local communities benefit (via eco-tourism, sustainable fisheries, etc.). The success of Mohéli’s environmental policy is evident in healthier coral reefs, stabilized coastal areas, and international accolades like the UNESCO reserve status.
Trade and Investment Policy
To foster economic vibrancy, Mohéli adheres to a progressive Trade and Investment Policy. This policy aligns with Comoros’ integration into regional and international markets (Comoros is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa – COMESA – and the country has explored closer ties with other trade blocs). On the trade side, the policy encourages Mohéli’s producers to export high-value goods. The government, for example, supports vanilla and spice exporters by helping them meet international quality standards and by seeking niche markets abroad where organic and fair-trade Comorian products can fetch premium prices. There is also a focus on blue economy trade – such as sustainable fisheries products and eco-tourism services – highlighting Mohéli’s competitive advantages.
Importantly, Mohéli benefits from the Union’s trade agreements which often allow Comorian goods preferential or duty-free access to certain countries. The local authorities facilitate traders in taking advantage of these, through training on export procedures and occasionally negotiating with the Union government to address any trade barriers unique to Mohéli (like inter-island transport costs).
On investment, Mohéli’s policy is to attract and secure both domestic and foreign investment that aligns with development goals. The Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program, which the Union initiated in the past, is currently suspended as of 2017 ; instead, Mohéli focuses on genuine investment incentives. The policy provides clarity and security for investors: property lease rights up to 99 years, ability to repatriate profits, and protection under Comorian investment law and bilateral investment treaties. A One-Stop Investment Center (through the Ministry of Economic Development) streamlines the process for investors by handling all permits and licenses under one roof, a policy measure that has reduced wait times and bureaucratic hurdles.
The policy also identifies priority investment sectors – agriculture/agro-processing, fisheries, tourism, renewable energy, and financial services – and grants additional incentives for those. For instance, an investor in a tourism project may get a tax holiday for a few years or an entrepreneur setting up an agro-processing facility might receive duty-free import of machinery. These policy tools are intended to channel investment into areas that create jobs and add value locally.
