12/06/2026
The Ismaili
Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad met French Minister of Overseas Territories Naïma Moutchou today in Paris. The meeting continued talks between Mawlana Hazar Imam and French President Emmanuel Macron, held on July 11, 2025, which included a joint desire to bolster support for the Indian Ocean region, particularly in the wake of Cyclone Chido, which hit Mayotte in December 2024
Located between Mozambique and Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Mayotte is surrounded by a vast coral reef system and a lake spanning about 1,500 km2, making it an important destination for diving, snorkeling and marine life observation. Mayotte has also, for several decades, hosted a Jamat, composed largely by families from neighboring Madagascar.
Today, on World Oceans Day, the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the French Government and the Agence Française de Développement for the reconstruction and development of Mayotte.
Work at Mayotte is part of a broader initiative by AKDN. Ongoing projects integrate a strategy for coastal regeneration of the Indian Ocean, led by the Aga Khan Development Network in several countries in the region where it has been developing activity for decades, benefiting from experience gained in other areas.
Following the memorandum signed last month during the Africa Forward Summit, for cooperation between AFD and AKDN in Tanzania, the agreement signed today establishes the first projects in Mayotte, worth 8.5 million euros. These projects were selected for their contribution to the regeneration of the pond and are funded by the Aga Khan Foundation as part of the Mayotte reconstruction and development strategy implemented by France. The AFD was appointed to coordinate this cooperation.
Islam's principles teach us that everything on Earth, from the smallest insect to the tallest tree, has a purpose, and it is our responsibility to be conscious guardians of creation, protecting the environment and all its living beings while showing respect for Allah's creations.
