Cementing Partnerships to Address Vulnerabilities

A Fragility Assessment was held in the Union of the Comoros, starting from 21 to 23 June 2017 in Anjouan, from 29 June to 1st July 2017 in Mohéli and from mid-August in Grande Comore. This tripartite exercise, which brought together Government representatives, technical and financial partners and civil society organizations from the grass-roots level, was perceived a rather emblematic process for its inclusive nature throughout the whole process. This Country Team, set up following the CSPPS Scoping mission in the Comoros last February, is composed of 56 Civil Society Organizations of the Greater Comoros, 30 organizations of Anjouan and 20 organizations of Mohéli. For the CSPPS, a Fragility Assessment without active and meaningful representation of the civil society will not lead to an adequate identification of the root causes of fragility.

The Union of the Comoros is one of the g7+ countries endorsing the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States. This partnership sets the stage for a new global partnership for aid effectiveness and integrates the issue of Sustainable Development in countries in conflict and fragility through the New Deal for international commitment to fragile states. Ensuring the transition from a fragile state to a more resilient state involves participating in the strengthening of civil society institutions and actors and in strengthening state-society relations and their legitimacy. The statebuilding must eventually lead to the establishment of "effective, legitimate and resilient" public institutions. A resilient state is therefore one that has the instruments and institutions that allow it to face crises, manage social change while maintaining stability and preventing violence. Ahmed Youssouf, CSPPS Focal Point in Comoros, participating in the evaluation session reported that progress is reported on some Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSG).

The final conclusions of the Fragility Assessment indicate that the Union of the Comoros is currently in the process of reconstruction and reform. It was identified that two PSGs (Economic Foundations and Revenues and Services) are placing the country in phase 2 (Reconstruction and Reform). It was also noted that the first three PSGs: Legitimate Politics, Security and Justice are progressing significantly and are in a transitional phase. In addition, the PSG Economic Foundations and Revenues and Services are progressing slightly and are classified in a reconstruction phase. As a next step, a "Compact" based on mutual accountability and trust between partners and TRUST principles (Transparency, Risk Sharing, Use and Strengthen Country System, Strengthen Capacities and Timely and Predictable Aid) will be developed to operationalize the establishment of the New Deal in the Union of the Comoros. It will feed into the revision of the Accelerated Growth Strategy for Sustainable Development (SCA2D) and the drafting of the Emerging Comoros Plan to 2030, incorporating the recommendations of the Fragility Assessment report. The Comorian Civil Society recommends the involvement and sensitization of the population as well as the propagation of the results obtained from the 2017 Fragility Assessment. The Civil Society also thanks the Commissariat General of Plan who regularly involves civil society in the country's activities. The validation of the Fragility Assessment report took place on 29 August 2017.