AGP Executive Report

Public Health Alert: The CDC added Mauritius to its active chikungunya travel notice list, making it the fourth territory on the current warning roster alongside Suriname, Mayotte, and French Guiana—an unusually wide spread of simultaneous outbreaks across the Indian Ocean and beyond, with the Aedes mosquitoes already established in the region. Chemicals & Environment Governance: Seychelles ran a two-day training workshop to strengthen how countries identify and manage trade in hazardous chemicals, under a GEF-funded ISLANDS project implemented across Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles—aimed at better protection for both people and ecosystems. Trade Rules for Sustainability: With WCO support, Comoros joined other countries in building national pools of rules-of-origin experts, helping customs apply preferential trade agreements more effectively—an enabling step for compliant, sustainable regional trade. Maritime Pollution Oversight: The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 port state control report shows environmental-related detentions easing slightly (82 to 77) while compliance checks rose, with Comoros listed among flag administrations removed from the targeted list. Energy Pressure & Climate-Linked Risk: Regional unrest tied to high fuel prices—linked to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz—raises the odds of wider food and cost shocks for island states like Comoros, with knock-on pressure on livelihoods and environmental resilience.

Fuel-price shock and regional spillover: Reporting links the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions to rising gasoline and expected food costs, noting Comoros already saw a proposed 35% fuel hike trigger protests and a fatal clash before the increase was suspended—warning that prolonged pressure could fuel wider instability across Africa. Maritime enforcement and pollution rules: A U.S. Coast Guard port state control report for 2025 shows more inspections and slightly fewer detentions tied to safety, security, and environmental protection, with Comoros listed among flag administrations removed from a targeted list. Trade and sustainability framework: The EU and Comoros plus other Eastern and Southern Africa states concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming for predictable rules, services/digitalisation, and sustainable development. Capacity-building for greener trade compliance: With WCO support, Customs officials including from Comoros joined training to strengthen rules-of-origin expertise for preferential trade agreements. Renewables and energy security angle: Commentary highlights how fuel unrest in Comoros and the region reflects fragile dependence on imported refined oil, arguing that energy shocks can quickly turn into social crises.

Maritime Security & Pollution Risk: U.S. Coast Guard port state control data for 2025 shows 77 ship detentions for safety, security and environmental protection issues, with Comoros among the flag administrations removed from the targeted list—an indicator that compliance pressure is shifting but still matters for shipborne pollution control. Fuel Prices, Food Costs & Social Stability: Reporting on the Strait of Hormuz fallout links tighter enforcement and shipping disruptions to higher fuel and likely higher food prices, noting protests and unrest already seen in the region, including Comoros—raising the stakes for climate-linked resilience and disaster preparedness. Trade Rules for Sustainable Development: The EU and Eastern and Southern Africa states (including Comoros) concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, explicitly tying market access to sustainable development, services and digitalisation. Customs Capacity for Greener Trade: With WCO support, Comoros and other countries set up national pools of rules-of-origin experts after training-of-trainers workshops, aiming to make preferential trade agreements work more cleanly and inclusively. Renewables vs. Oil Shocks: A regional energy crisis analysis argues that when oil prices spike, countries that import refined fuel face shortages and inflation—fueling unrest and underlining the urgency of renewable power in East Africa and beyond.

Fuel-price shock and unrest risk: A new report links the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions to higher gasoline and expected food prices, noting protests and clashes already seen in parts of Africa including Comoros. Maritime enforcement and pollution controls: The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 port state control report shows more inspections and fewer environmental/safety/security detentions, with Comoros among flag administrations removed from a targeted list. Trade and sustainability framework: The EU and Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming for predictable rules and “sustainable development” alongside services and digitalisation. Regional capacity for cleaner trade: With WCO support, Customs officials from Comoros and others trained as origin-determination experts under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, meant to strengthen compliant use of preferential trade rules. Energy transition pressure: Commentary argues East Africa’s heavy reliance on imported refined fuel is turning global oil shocks into local crises, raising the stakes for renewable power and resilience.

Maritime Security & Trade Disruption: A week of tighter U.S. enforcement around the Gulf of Oman and beyond shows Iranian crude exports still constrained, while limited LPG cargoes keep slipping through via deceptive shipping as merchant transponders go quiet and traffic patterns shift. Regional Energy Pressure: A separate report links the Strait of Hormuz shockwaves to fuel and food price spikes that are already fueling protests and instability risk across East Africa—including Comoros—where gasoline hikes triggered unrest before being suspended. EU–Comoros Environment-Linked Trade: The EU and four Eastern and Southern Africa states (including Comoros) concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, framed around predictable rules and sustainable development, with services and digitalisation highlighted. Port Pollution Oversight: The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 port state control report shows environmental-related detentions easing slightly (77 vs 82 in 2024) while compliance exams rose, with Comoros among flag administrations removed from a targeted list. Local Governance & Capacity Building: WCO support helped Customs officials from Comoros and others build “training of trainers” capacity on rules of origin, aiming to make preferential trade agreements work more cleanly and inclusively.

Maritime Enforcement: U.S. Coast Guard port state control data for 2025 shows 11,279 vessels and 76,351 U.S. port calls, with environmental/safety/security detentions edging down to 77 and the overall detention rate falling to 0.85%, while the Bahamas, Comoros, Curacao, Italy and Latvia were removed from the targeted flag list. Trade & Sustainability: The EU and Comoros plus three other Eastern and Southern Africa states concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement in Mauritius, aiming for more predictable rules and a framework that explicitly links trade with sustainable development. Energy Shock & Social Risk: Reporting on the wider fallout from Strait of Hormuz disruptions ties fuel and food price spikes to protests and instability pressures across the region, including Comoros, where fuel price hikes triggered unrest before being suspended. Capacity Building for Cleaner Trade: With WCO support, Customs officials from Comoros joined Training of Trainers workshops to strengthen rules-of-origin skills, helping compliant use of preferential trade deals. Renewables Context: A regional energy commentary highlights how fuel-price volatility is driving hardship and argues for faster clean-energy alternatives to reduce future shocks.

Fuel-price shock and unrest risk: Reporting on how Strait of Hormuz disruptions can ripple far beyond the Middle East, the piece highlights Comoros’ recent attempt to raise gasoline prices by 35%, triggering protests and clashes—an early warning that higher fuel and likely food costs could stoke wider instability. EU trade and sustainability link: The EU and Comoros plus Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, framed as boosting services, digitalisation and “sustainable development” while keeping the door open for other ESA countries. Maritime enforcement pressure: A maritime update says U.S. port-state control and regional enforcement are tightening, with environmental-related detentions edging down in 2025 and flag performance shifting—relevant for Comoros-linked shipping compliance. Ocean biodiversity push: A global ocean-life census update notes 1,121 new species described in 2025, underscoring why better species classification matters for meeting 2030 ocean and land protection goals. Customs capacity for greener trade: With WCO support, Comoros and other countries are building national pools of rules-of-origin experts to help firms use trade deals correctly—supporting more predictable, compliant trade.

Maritime Enforcement & Energy Risk: A week-long look at the Hormuz area shows tighter U.S. and regional enforcement, with Iranian crude still constrained but limited LPG shipments slipping through deceptive practices as commercial traffic adapts to new risks. Fuel Prices & Social Stability: A separate report links the Iran war’s fuel shock to protests and unrest across Africa, warning Comoros and other countries could face higher food prices and wider instability if disruptions persist. EU Trade & Sustainable Development: The EU and Comoros plus three other Eastern and Southern Africa states concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement in Mauritius, aiming for predictable rules, services and digitalisation, and a sustainable development framework. Customs Capacity for Greener Trade: With WCO support, Comoros customs officials joined training to strengthen rules-of-origin expertise, helping compliant use of preferential trade deals. Environment Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand environmental protection work, including land degradation mitigation, waste management, monitoring, and protection of endangered species. Biodiversity Knowledge Gap: A global ocean-life census reported 1,121 new species described in 2025, underscoring how much marine biodiversity remains undocumented and why that matters for conservation targets.

EU-ESA Trade Deal: The EU and Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles have concluded negotiations on an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming for clearer rules, more services and digital trade, and support for sustainable development across the region. Food Safety at Borders: FAO reports Comoros is moving from reactive to evidence-driven import controls, targeting higher-risk shipments to better protect food quality and cold-chain risks. Regional Health & Radiation Safety: Ministers and regulators from across East and Southern Africa, including Comoros, met in Nairobi to strengthen public health systems and safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare. Ocean Life Discovery: A global census described 1,121 new marine species in 2025, underscoring how much biodiversity remains unknown and how that affects conservation planning. Energy Prices & Social Stability: Coverage links fuel-price shocks tied to the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions to protests and potential food-price rises, raising concerns for instability in import-dependent countries like Comoros. Environmental Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand cooperation on land degradation, protected areas, waste management, and protection of endangered species.

EU-Africa Trade & Sustainability: The EU and Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles concluded talks on an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming for clearer rules, more services and digitalisation opportunities, and support for sustainable development—while staying open for other ESA countries to join. Fuel Prices, Food Security & Social Stability: Coverage links the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions to fuel-price shocks that have already sparked protests in Comoros and across Africa, warning that food prices could rise next and raise the risk of wider unrest. Maritime Environment Compliance: The US Coast Guard released its 2025 Port State Control report, showing fewer detentions for environmental, safety and security deficiencies (77 vs 82 in 2024) and noting Comoros among flag administrations removed from the targeted list. Food Safety at Borders (Comoros): FAO reports a shift in Comoros’ import controls toward evidence-driven, risk-based inspections to better protect cold-chain and food safety outcomes. Biodiversity & Oceans: A global ocean census reported 1,121 new species described in 2025, underscoring how much marine life remains unknown and why better classification matters for conservation. Environmental Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand cooperation on environmental protection, including land degradation, protected areas, waste management, and tackling illegal trade in endangered species. Health & Radiation Safety: Regional officials met in Nairobi, including Comoros, to strengthen public health systems and safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare. Trade Rules Capacity (WCO): With WCO support, Customs officials from Comoros joined training to build national pools of experts on rules of origin for better use of preferential trade agreements.

Fuel-price shock and unrest risk: A new report links the Iran war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz to rising gasoline and expected food prices, warning that Comoros and other African states could see more protests and instability if the crisis drags on. Food safety at the border: FAO support is helping Comoros shift import controls from reactive checks to an evidence-driven system that targets the highest-risk shipments, aiming to protect the cold chain and reduce food-safety gaps. Maritime pollution and compliance: The US Coast Guard’s 2025 Port State Control report shows fewer detentions for environmental, safety and security deficiencies (down to 77), with Comoros among flag administrations removed from a targeted list. Ocean biodiversity push: A global census effort reported 1,121 new ocean species described in 2025, underscoring how much marine life remains unknown and why better classification matters for conservation. Regional health and radiation safety: A forum in Nairobi brought together health regulators from Comoros and others to strengthen safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare. Environmental cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand work on land degradation, protected areas, waste management, monitoring, and tackling illegal trade in endangered flora and fauna.

Food Safety at Borders: FAO says Comoros is moving from reactive import checks to an evidence-driven system that targets the highest-risk shipments, aiming to better protect what people eat. Blue Economy & Ocean Conservation: Leaders at Monaco’s Blue Economy and Finance Forum urged bigger, sustainable investment in Africa’s blue economy, with coastal communities at the center of marine protection. Marine Biodiversity: A global ocean census reported 1,121 new species described in 2025, highlighting how much marine life remains unknown and why stronger conservation depends on better species knowledge. Environmental Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand work on vegetation cover, land degradation, sustainable forests, protected areas, waste management, and action against illegal trade in endangered wildlife. Maritime Pollution Oversight: The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 Port State Control report shows detentions for environmental, safety and security deficiencies fell to 77, with Comoros among flags removed from a targeted list.

Maritime Safety & Pollution Control: The Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) released its 2025 Port State Control annual report, flagging 5,958 inspections, 3,072 vessels with non-compliances, and 261 detentions—an uptick in enforcement aimed at cutting substandard shipping and protecting the marine environment. Food Safety at Borders: A new FAO-supported shift in Comoros import controls moves from reactive checks to an evidence-driven, risk-based approach, targeting higher-risk shipments to better protect what people eat. Marine Biodiversity: A global Ocean Census effort reported 1,121 new ocean species described in 2025, underscoring how much deep-sea life remains unknown—and why better classification matters for conservation. Environmental Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia signed an MoU to expand work on land degradation, protected areas, waste management, monitoring, and action against illegal trade in endangered flora and fauna. Regional Health & Radiation Safety: A forum in Nairobi brought together health and regulatory leaders from across the region, including Comoros, to strengthen safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare. Trade & Customs Capacity: With WCO support, Customs officials from Nigeria and Comoros joined training to build national pools of experts on rules of origin—helping countries use trade agreements more compliantly.

Maritime Compliance: The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 Port State Control annual report shows 11,279 vessels made 76,351 port calls, with 8,999 inspections and 77 detentions for environmental, safety and security deficiencies—down from 82 in 2024. The overall detention rate fell to 0.85% (from 0.94%), and the flag administrations of the Bahamas, Comoros, Curacao, Italy and Latvia were removed from the targeted list. Food Safety at Borders: In Comoros, FAO supported a shift from reactive import gatekeeping to an evidence-driven system that targets the highest-risk shipments, after identifying gaps in import controls—aimed at protecting the cold chain and safer food reaching people. Blue Economy & Ocean Life: A regional push for stronger investment in Africa’s blue economy highlights coastal communities as the heart of ocean conservation, while a global ocean census reported 1,121 new species described in 2025—underscoring how much marine biodiversity remains unknown and unprotected. Digital Cooperation: Bahrain and Comoros signed MoUs under Bahrain’s Global Digital Twinning Initiative to strengthen eGovernment knowledge exchange and digital transformation.

Food Safety at the Border: FAO says Comoros is moving from reactive import checks to an evidence-driven system that targets the highest-risk shipments, aiming to protect the cold chain and reduce gaps in import controls. Public Health & Radiation Safety: Regional health regulators, including Comoros, met in Nairobi to strengthen safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare while boosting preparedness for emerging disease threats like Ebola. Marine Life & Conservation Gaps: A global ocean census reported 1,121 new species described in 2025, underscoring how much deep-sea biodiversity remains unknown and how that affects conservation planning. Blue Economy Financing: Conservation leaders urged faster investment in Africa’s blue economy, calling for stronger funding and coastal-community-led ocean protection. Digital Cooperation: Bahrain and Comoros signed MoUs under Bahrain’s Global Digital Twinning Initiative to share eGovernment expertise and support digital transformation. Environmental Cooperation: Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to expand environmental protection work, including land degradation mitigation, protected areas, waste management, and action against illegal trade in endangered species.

Energy & Livelihoods: Deadly protests over high fuel prices in Kenya, Comoros and Mozambique underline how oil shocks can quickly turn into social crises, as the region depends heavily on imported refined petroleum and global price swings feed shortages and inflation. Food Safety at Borders: In Comoros, FAO support is helping shift import controls from reactive checks to evidence-driven screening, aiming to target the highest-risk shipments and protect the cold chain for imported foods. Marine Biodiversity: A global census effort reported 1,100+ new ocean species in 2025, highlighting how much deep-sea life remains unknown—and why better classification is key to meeting ocean protection goals. Blue Economy Finance: Conservation leaders at Monaco urged bigger, sustainable investment in Africa’s blue economy, arguing coastal communities must be central to ocean conservation to unlock jobs and livelihoods. Regional Health Security: A forum in Nairobi brought together health regulators from across the region, including Comoros, to strengthen safe use of nuclear and radiation technologies in healthcare amid disease threats. Digital Cooperation: Bahrain and Comoros signed MoUs under a “digital twinning” initiative to exchange eGovernment know-how—an indirect boost for how environmental and public services can be delivered.