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Comoros
EIF is supporting Comoros to prioritize trade, and is working with the Government to address the country's trade-related needs. This includes instrumental support as Comoros progresses toward WTO accession, and in-country enhancements to enable private sector development.
The key agricultural sectors of vanilla, ylang-ylang and clove are being targeted for strengthening at the producer, processor and institutional levels.
Entrepreneurs in action
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Comoros making scents
- The EIF National Implementation Unit (NIU) played a central role in the Government of Comoros’ negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union within the framework of the East and Southern Africa group, leveraging EUR 6 million to produce consumer goods for the local, regional and international markets.
- Comoros acceded to the WTO at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in February 2024, with support from the EIF throughout its accession journey.
- An eco-tourism strategy developed with support from the EIF is bringing together tourism promotion, protection of the archipelago’s unique and fragile ecosystem, job creation and income for local communities. This has led to an increase in local, international and diaspora visitors.
- Youth entrepreneurship has been boosted through an EIF, France and MECK (Mutuelle d'Epargne et de Crédit ya Komor) Moroni initiative that challenges young people to establish their own businesses, helping them to do so by building their skills and providing microfinance.
- The NIU is highly integrated in the Ministry of Economy and Trade, with the Government further demonstrating its support and ownership of the partnership with the EIF by providing in-kind support for the NIU’s operations, including salaries and office space. Of the 13 staff, 10 are civil servants.
EIF has been working with Comoros since 2014 to develop and reinforce existing institutional capacities for the formulation and implementation of trade strategies and their incorporation into national development plans.
Activities planned until 2019 aim to support Comoros to further strengthen government capacity with a view to promoting regional and global pro poor trade policies, and to support Comoros' accession to the WTO.
Results:
- Supported activities for the accession process of Comoros to the WTO, including training of parliamentarians and working sessions for the review of technical notes.
- Trade integrated into the sectoral policy document on industries, as well as the agriculture policy document.
- Provided training to the association of women fish sellers covering drying and smoking techniques.
EIF is working to improve the competitiveness of three export sectors (vanilla, ylang-ylang and clove) through strengthening institutional and technical capacities of producers and exporters to play a more active role in the commercialization of their products on international markets.
Results:
- 44 participants attended training on the creation and management of agriculture cooperatives.
- 17 participants attended training on how to register cooperatives and companies in accordance with the relevant legislation.
- 100 producers and processors participants in a sensitization workshop on Grande Comore Island which covered the necessity of vanilla producers and processors to work together to maximize profit.
- 5 pilot cooperatives for the vanilla, ylang-ylang and clove value chains were established and held their respective general assemblies in 2015.
- An analytical report on the three values was completed and an upgrade plan was developed which covers production practices, product diversification, quality, packaging, etc.
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