VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Comoros will assume the presidency of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI) for the next 12 months, succeeding Seychelles. The handover of the COI presidency took place during the 39th Council of Ministers held on April 15 and 16, 2025, at the Eden Bleu hotel in Seychelles. The foreign affairs ministers of COI member states subsequently held discussions with local media at a press conference following yesterday afternoon’s working session.
During its presidency, Seychelles oversaw several key initiatives, including the advancement of the regional blue economy agenda, the mobilisation of climate finance, and the reinforcement of maritime security cooperation among member states. The session provided an opportunity to take stock of the achievements of the past year and to outline the priorities that will now fall to the incoming Comorian presidency. Member states underlined the importance of continuity in regional integration efforts, particularly in the face of mounting global trade tensions and climate challenges.
As the Comoros prepares to take the helm, attention will turn to a number of pressing regional issues, including the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocols as they apply to the Indian Ocean, the management of shared fisheries resources, and the operationalisation of the Indian Ocean Youth Parliament, which was officially launched in Victoria this week. The next COI summit is expected to be held in Madagascar in the coming weeks, at which the Comorian presidency will set out its programme of work for the year ahead.
