MACRON BERATES STORM-HIT MAYOTTE

‘You’re lucky to be part of France!’ That was the message from French President Emmanuel Macron to the frustrated residents of Mayotte, an Indian Ocean archipelago, who are dealing with the aftermath of a severe cyclone.

Macron visited Mamoudzou, the capital of this ‘overseas territory’ (which has been under French control since 1843), a day after Cyclone Chido hit on 18 December, causing massive destruction to the island, which has some 320,000 residents.

The cyclone left homes in ruins, knocked out power, damaged water facilities and blocked roads with debris. It’s the worst storm to strike Mayotte in nearly a century. Reports indicate that 31 people have died, with many more unaccounted for, so the actual numbers could be even higher. Locals are frustrated with the slow response in getting much-needed aid.

Macron's chilly welcome points to bigger issues in Mayotte. The island faces a staggering poverty rate of nearly 80%, which is five times that of mainland France, and almost 40% of the population is unemployed. Critics argue that Paris, located 12 hours away by plane (8,000 km), tends to ignore the archipelago. France keeps its grip on Mayotte, along with other territories such as Réunion and New Caledonia, to strengthen its claims in the Indo-Pacific region.

Is it time for Mayotte to break free from its long-standing reliance on France?

Video credit: @brutofficiel (TikTok)

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/world/europe/mayotte-france-cyclone-destruction.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89x0j1le4lo

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/19/world/emmanuel-macron-france-mayotte-cyclone-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/5039943?sommaire=5040030

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14650045.2023.2294794#d1e119

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/regional-strategies/indo-pacific/the-indo-pacific-a-priority-for-france/france-in-the-south-west-indian-ocean/article/the-union-of-the-comoros-and-mayotte#:~:text=Mayotte%20became%20an%20official%20French,%2C%20and%201892%20for%20Moh%C3%A9li).

https://www.melusinapress.lu/read/1981-5500-mxxx/section/5dec61e6-5565-4ba6-b08f-6232a01f5526