Paris — Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad met with French Minister for Overseas Territories Naïma Moutchou in Paris on Sunday, as the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Ismaili Imamat formalised a major reconstruction agreement for cyclone-hit Mayotte.
The meeting built on earlier discussions between His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan and French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2025, which included a shared commitment to increase support to the Indian Ocean region following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido, which struck Mayotte in December 2024.
Marking World Oceans Day, the Ismaili Imamat and AKF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the French Government and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for the reconstruction and development of the island territory. The MoU sets out initial projects worth €8.5 million, selected for their contribution to the regeneration of Mayotte’s lagoon — a vast 1,500 km² marine ecosystem nestled between Mozambique and Madagascar, long regarded as one of the Indian Ocean’s most significant natural treasures.
The agreement follows a memorandum signed last month at the Africa Forward Summit for AFD-AKDN cooperation in Tanzania, and AFD has been appointed to coordinate the partnership.
The initiative is part of a broader coastal regeneration programme led by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) across several Indian Ocean countries where it has operated for decades. The programme focuses on restoration of coastal zones, livelihoods, enterprise development, community resilience, and additional preservation work at the Mayotte Marine Natural Park.
In his remarks, Prince Aly Muhammad said environmental recovery and human recovery are inseparable, stressing that healthy ecosystems protect communities and sustain livelihoods.
Minister Moutchou paid tribute to the late Aga Khan IV, saying his expression of solidarity in the days following Cyclone Chido had deeply moved France and reflected the enduring bonds of trust between the Ismaili Imamat and the French state.
Mayotte has been home to an Ismaili Jamat, many of whom originate from neighbouring Madagascar, for several decades.