Moroni, Comoros, 10 September 2026 (ECA) — The Government of Comoros and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) launched the RESIslands Project to strengthen national capacity to assess climate risks, manage disaster risks and prepare proposals for climate finance.
Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the initiative supports nine members of the African Island States Climate Commission (AISCC). The launch brought together government representatives, national climate focal points, the AISCC secretariat, technical partners, United Nations representatives and civil society to discuss implementation priorities and coordination.
“Our island states are on the front line of the consequences of climate change,” said Abdourahaman Ali Mroivili, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Tourism, speaking on behalf of the Minister.
Rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather events threaten communities, infrastructure and livelihoods, placing growing pressure on water resources, food security and marine ecosystems. Addressing these risks requires stronger technical expertise, accessible information and institutions equipped to translate national priorities into practical responses.
“For small African island states, these risks are particularly concerning because our territories still have limited institutional and technical capacity to assess risks, map vulnerabilities and effectively anticipate disasters. This is why the RESIslands Project is particularly important,” the Secretary-General added.
James Tsok Bot, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Comoros, emphasised the urgency of action and the country’s contribution to advancing regional climate priorities. “For Comoros and other African island states, climate change is no longer a distant threat,” he said.
“Comoros demonstrated this in 2023, during its presidency of the African Union, by placing the blue economy, climate action and the priorities of island states at the heart of the continental agenda. The ‘Blue Future’ Ministerial Conference, organised here in Moroni with United Nations support, also led to the Moroni Declaration for Ocean and Climate Action in Africa.”
RESIslands is supported by a grant through the GCF Readiness Programme over 30 months. Implemented by ECA in partnership with the AISCC, it supports capacity building, risk assessment and related frameworks, climate project preparation and regional knowledge exchange.
The initiative covers Cabo Verde, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles and Tanzania (Zanzibar). Its regional approach enables participating countries to exchange experiences while developing responses suited to their national circumstances.
At the launch, Kjartan Fjeldsted, ECA Programme Manager for the RESIslands initiative highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening the AISCC and supporting the collective voice of African island states.
“Through stronger regional coordination among African island states, the project aims to support the institutional development of the African Island States Climate Commission, enabling it to fulfil its role, represent African island states internationally and promote their shared priorities,” Fjeldsted stated.
The workshop focused on clarifying stakeholder roles and responsibilities, developing an implementation schedule for the first six months, identifying Project Steering Committee members and assessing national capacity-building needs.
Following the launch, the national project lead will coordinate implementation with national institutions and ECA. Initial work will identify technical gaps in climate and disaster risk reduction and suitable candidates for training, providing a basis for stronger risk assessments and the preparation of climate investment proposals.
Through this support, RESIslands aims to help Comoros strengthen the evidence, expertise and coordination needed to advance its climate-resilience priorities and pursue financing for implementation.
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