This article was originally shared by the Small Island Developing States World Restoration Flagship

Moroni, Comoros – 2nd February 2026

With an ocean territory more than eighty times larger than its landmass, the Union of the Comoros reached a pivotal moment for its blue ecosystems. Last week in Moroni, on Thursday 29 January, national institutions, ministries and partners came together to technically validate two foundational documents: the Sustainable Blue Economy Policy and the Integrated Policy Framework for Comoros’ Sustainable Blue Economy. Delivered under the Small Island Developing States World Restoration Flagship of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this milestone signals a clear shift from assessment to action, embedding ecosystem restoration at the core of national development planning.

Globally, the shift toward a sustainable blue economy is increasingly understood as a pathway to jobs, food security and resilience, provided it is anchored in nature-based solutions, effective ocean governance, finance and technology. Comoros is stepping confidently into this space, charting a bold transition that places its ocean at the centre of sustainable national development.

A whole-of-government, whole-of-island approach

At the core of this policy package is the Sustainable Blue Economy Rapid Readiness Assessment (RRA), a UNEP methodology implemented in Comoros with technical support from GRID‑Arendal. The RRA served as a foundational tool, helping Comoros move from diagnostic analysis to the formulation of a clear, coordinated policy framework for a sustainable blue economy. The assessment examined institutional capacity, governance arrangements and financing readiness, while identifying priority actions to embed ecosystem restoration at the core of economic planning. By convening sectors that rarely engage together, the RRA helped establish a shared evidence base, vision and common language across government, laying the groundwork for more integrated and coordinated transition.

More than 150 stakeholders contributed to the RRA through consultations spanning islands and sectors. Building on this broad engagement, the technical validation was led by a 35-member national reading committee, bringing together experts from line ministries, public institutions, academia, civil society, key stakeholder groups and development partners. Their role was to rigorously review, strengthen and refine the policy package ahead of its final adoption.

Addressing participants during the validation, Abubakar Ben Mahmoud, Minister of the Environment and Tourism, underscored the national significance of the moment:

“We have an exceptional natural heritage, from the heights to the depths of the ocean. It is important to sustainably use these ecosystem services for a sustainable blue and green future. This strategic vision is for all island people. We must own it and contribute to its rapid implementation for the good of our communities.”

Key innovations of the policy package include:

• An integrated national vision for sustainable blue development that brings together fisheries, tourism, ports and maritime transport, waste and pollution management, ecosystem conservation and restoration, renewable energy, and emerging innovation-led sectors.
• A set of national guiding principles (dubbed “COMOROS BLUE SEA”) for a sustainable blue economy, rooted in climate resilience and nature-based solutions, strong local ownership and participation, subsidiarity, value creation and market development, digitalisation and open data, rule of law and regulatory clarity, gender and youth inclusion, and transparency and accountability.
• A multi-tier governance model tailored to a union of islands, proposing a National Sustainable Blue Economy Council alongside Island-level Committees to translate national priorities into concrete, island-specific actions across Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli.
• A suite of implementation tools designed to strengthen coordination, reduce user conflicts and improve investment readiness, including marine spatial planning, integrated coastal zone management, enhanced safeguards and assessment mechanisms, and a Sustainable Blue Economy Observatory to support monitoring and decision-making.
• A sustainable blue finance framework, including the creation of a dedicated financing mechanism to mobilise, pool and direct resources toward high-impact and investment-ready initiatives.
   

Natural capital as economic infrastructure

Across Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli, communities are already demonstrating what a sustainable blue economy transition looks like in practice. Mangrove restoration, strengthened stewardship of marine resources and growing awareness of ecosystem degradation are reshaping relationships between people and the coast, with tangible benefits for livelihoods and resilience.

These local efforts are being reinforced through national planning tools under the SIDS Restoration Flagship, including Comoros’  first Marine Spatial Plan . Applied within areas such as the Coelacanth National Park, the plan helps organise activities across marine space and align conservation, fisheries, tourism and development priorities. In places like Chirindini, restored mangroves are beginning to deliver multiple co-benefits, from carbon sequestration and fish nursery habitat to shoreline protection and reduced flood risk for coastal homes.

Together, these experiences are driving a broader shift in how restoration is understood. Rather than being treated as an environmental add-on, ecosystem restoration is increasingly recognised as invaluable economic infrastructure. Healthy coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses underpin fisheries, protect coastlines and support tourism, making ecosystem recovery foundational to any credible sustainable blue economy transition.

“For island nations like Comoros, restoration is not just about reviving ecosystems - it’s about reimagining development itself,” said Georgina Avlonitis, SIDS World Restoration Flagship Coordinator at UNEP. “By weaving nature-based solutions back into the fabric of economic planning, Comoros is showing that a sustainable blue economy can be a pathway to resilience and a promise to future generations.”

So too, this understanding has gradually shifted the national conversation away from fragmented, sector-by-sector approaches towards a more integrated vision. That shift is now becoming increasingly visible in how Comoros is organising around its ocean future. While ministries continue to advance in-depth strategies within their respective mandates, these efforts are being deliberately aligned under the coherent, overarching policy framework that brings them together around a shared national vision. This integrated approach links sectoral strategies through common governance, planning, investment and monitoring arrangements across the country’s marine and coastal space. At its core is a commitment to building long-term prosperity by regenerating natural capital, from ridge to reef, ensuring that development pathways actively strengthen, rather than undermine, the ecosystems on which they depend.

In Comoros, the foundations are set. With strong national ownership in place, the focus now turns to operationalising the Sustainable Blue Economy, aligning institutions, investments and partners to deliver tangible outcomes on the ground. From restoring mangroves, forests and reefs to strengthening sustainable livelihoods and resilience, the priority is action that people can see, feel and benefit from.

“The Comoros Sustainable Blue Economy Policy is a milestone in showing how Big Ocean States can integrate ecosystem restoration into sustainable development planning,” said Sinikinesh Beyene Jimma, Chief of the Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Unit at United Nations Environment Programme. “It demonstrates leadership, inclusivity and a model that can inspire other islands globally.”

UNEP stands ready to support this next chapter, working closely with national institutions, communities and partners, and in partnership with FAO, to translate the policy framework into practical, locally rooted results and lasting change for people, nature and the ocean that sustains them.

About the Sustainable Blue Economy 

A Sustainable Blue Economy promotes the responsible use and management of ocean, coastal and marine resources to support economic growth, sustainable livelihoods and social well-being, while maintaining the health, productivity and resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems. It emphasizes ecosystem-based approaches, inclusive and integrated governance, and sustainable financing to balance development with conservation, address climate and biodiversity challenges, and ensure long-term benefits for people and nature.

About the SIDS Restoration Flagship

The SIDS Restoration Flagship is one of the World Restoration Flagships under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). Led by UNEP, FAO and in partnership with UNDESA, it supports restoration across three Small Island Developing States (Comoros, Vanuatu and Saint Lucia), strengthening resilience from ridge to reef and empowering communities to lead nature-based solutions.

Acknowledgement: Supported by the Governments of Germany and Denmark through the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Multi-Partner Trust Fund.

Learn more

• UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
• Small Island Developing States World Restoration Flagship
• Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
• Sustainable Blue Economy in Comoros under the SIDS Restoration Flagship