Donor conference attracts $200 million in pledges

The Comoran government has attracted pledges worth US $200 million over the next four years after presenting its poverty reduction strategy to more than 100 international community representatives. Comoran leaders appealed to potential donors, financial institutions and investors at the one-day Comoros Donors' Conference, held in Mauritius on Thursday. The funding is crucial to the Indian Ocean nation's chances of overcoming chronic instability and poverty, and reversing a 20-year trend of negative economic growth. Giuseppina Mazza, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Comoros, told IRIN she was "very positive about the conference outcome - this is a good sign and shows the increasing confidence the international community has in the future of the Comoros". Approximately $140 million of the promised contributions will be paid in cash and $60 million will be made available as training, technical assistance and other 'in-kind' aid. "Having attracted so many representatives - such as [South African President] Thabo Mbaki and [Mauritian Prime Minister] Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who co-chaired the event - the conference was very successful for the Comoros," Mazza commented. The South African Broadcasting Corporation quoted Mbeki as saying, "If we can't help a least-developed country of 576,000 people, the future of humanity must be very bleak." Comoran leaders detailed their programme for upliftment in three key documents: a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), a Plan of Action covering implementation, and a Public Investment Plan. "What is important now is the follow-up," Mazza remarked. The main challenges to implementing the PRSP will be the coordination of donor support and the upcoming election. With the coup-plagued archipelago going to the polls in March and April 2006, "partners will insist that elections go well," Mazza pointed out. In a message to the donors' meeting, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan commended the international community for "coming together to mobilise strong and sustained international support for the important progress taking place in the Comoros", adding that "the presidential elections have the potential to be a true milestone in the country's transition from instability, provided they are conducted in an open, fair and democratic manner". Besides the political and economic challenges faced by the people of the Comoros, the main island of Grand Comore is currently reeling in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.