Funding Conditional on Legislative Passage

The Minister for Overseas Territories, Naïma Moutchou, announced the allocation of €430 million for 2026. This funding is intended to support the reconstruction of Mayotte, one year after the worst disaster to strike the island.

However, these funds remain conditional on the adoption of the finance and social security funding bills, as well as on the ability of local authorities to use them effectively.

On the ground, the urgency is palpable. Many roofs remain covered on homes and public buildings, as the rainy season approaches, with strong winds expected between December and March. Member of Parliament Estelle Youssouffa had previously questioned the government, reminding them that without a substantial budget, reconstruction risks stalling.

During her statement, Naïma Moutchou specified that €674 million has been committed for 2026, but that only €434 million is actually available that year. “This difference highlights the difficulties in utilizing funds in the French overseas territories, where less than half of the funds are spent each year. Mayotte, in particular, struggles to use available resources effectively,” she added.

To improve fund management, the minister plans to allocate 80% of the budget to the State’s Territorial Intervention Program (PITE), under the responsibility of the prefect. The objective is to ensure better use of funds and to generalize the best practices already observed in some municipalities.

For 2027, €473 million is planned in commitments and €530 million in payment appropriations, with the possibility of these figures being reversed. Numerous projects remain, ranging from post-cyclone reconstruction to infrastructure modernization. A monitoring committee will be set up as early as Friday, but Senator Omar Oili points out that to be effective, this monitoring must be based on precise and accessible figures, which is not always the case.