COMOROS: Inter-Island Connectivity Project

Comoros, an archipelago nation situated off the coast of Mozambique, has enjoyed steady GDP growth averaging 3.5 percent in the last five years, reaching $1.22 billion in 2020. But further economic growth is constrained by limited connectivity between its three main islands, a key bottleneck that prevents the Comorian islands and markets from integrating.

Maritime transport services between the islands, both for passengers and freight, are inefficient, unsafe, and expensive—fares range from $50–$70, which is unaffordable for the majority of the population. Inadequate port infrastructure, administrative inefficiencies, and high port fees exacerbate the problem. Isolated domestic markets and high commercial transaction costs have led to persistent inequality and poverty in affected regions.

Comoros is also highly vulnerable to climatic events and natural disasters. Cyclones, rising sea levels, coastal flooding, erosion, and landslides threaten the country’s coastal communities and transportation infrastructure, which are located in low-lying coastal areas.

The government is working to strengthen the country’s regulatory and institutional framework to address these shortcomings. In 2013, the Comorian Ports Company, Société Comoriene des Ports (SCP), was established to oversee and coordinate the development of the country’s ports. Although SCP exists on paper, it does not yet have operational capacity.

In 2019, the World Bank Group pledged $175 million to support Comoros’ development through its National Emergent Plan, an initiative that includes boosting the country’s inter-island connectivity. The Bank analyzed Comoros’s transport connectivity and economic growth potential, concluding that the government should integrate the country’s modes of transport into a unified system to increase economic efficiency.

PPIAF reviewed the country’s legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks for PPPs and conducted an analysis to improve port infrastructure through PPPs. These activities aimed to strengthen the legal framework for PPPs and build the capacity of the SCP. This will enable it to prioritize investment projects and see them through financial close, award operations and maintenance contracts, and ensure that port tariffs will be sufficient to guarantee costrecovery for concessionaires.

This work complemented a feasibility study financed by GIF, which recommended PPP options for fleet and vessel renewal programs to formalize transport service providers.

Support from PPIAF and GIF also informed a $40 million World Bank project that aims to strengthen the capacity and climate resilience of port infrastructure. It also aims to improve maritime safety through a vessel renewal program, improve the institutional framework for maritime policies, and build the capacity of the SCP so that it can effectively supervise port concessions and PPPs.

In addition, formalizing the country’s transport service providers is expected to drastically improve the efficiency and reliability of inter-island transport operations in Comoros. This could lead to the introduction of modern, energy-efficient vessels, contributing to better safety and reduced carbon emissions.