Comoros Interisland Connectivity Project Additional Finance

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Interisland connectivity is among the most important constraints to integrate domestic markets and reduce poverty and inequality in Comoros. While Grande Comores and Anjouan are relatively well connected by formal ferries and large freight vessels, Moheli is most isolated. Comoros is highly vulnerable to extreme climate events. Port Boingoma was damaged by Cyclone Kenneth in 2019. Despite the government’s emergency repair work, the substructure continue eroding. The port remains vulnerable to climate events and operational subject to weather conditions. Ferries and cargo ships cannot access the port. Local travelers mainly use small “informal” boats for their daily transportation between the islands. While the government prohibits passenger operations by kwassa kwassa, the policy is not strongly enforced because there is no alternative transport means. The proposed program aims at improving maritime connectivity among the islands and ameliorating maritime transport resilience and safety by increasing the port capacity, installing proper infrastructure and protection at the primary and secondary ports and strengthening the regulatory and institutional framework to ensure efficient, affordable and safe interisland transportation. The program fully aligns with the World Bank Group’s twin goals: eradicating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, specifically focused on the transport and market accessibility for local communities in Moheli Island, the poorest region in the Comoros. Supporting disaster recovery and resilience is also aligned with the country’s FY20–FY24 Country Partnership Framework (CPF), particularly, one of the priority objectives under Focus Area I: Crisis Response and Resilience. Given limited available resources, the operations take a programmatic approach through a series of projects (SOP) in collaboration with other development partners. The SOP1 approved in May 2022 is focused on improving maritime transport climate resilience between the islands, by investing two-thirds of breakwater and protection at Port Boingoma. The proposed SOP1 Additional Financing (AF) complements SOP1 to complete the port resilience investment, by financing the reminder of the breakwater. The development objective is the same as SOP1: Improve maritime transport resilience between the islands. The AF will also augment support for project implementation and finance the installation of maritime communication and safety equipment at the primary and secondary ports, which are urgently needed to ensure maritime safety in the country. The remaining components, such as investment in secondary ports and support for a pilot program of new, safer passenger boats, will be financed by the following phase, SOP2.