Prime Minister François Bayrou, accompanied by a ministerial delegation, visited Mayotte on Monday, December 30, 2024, sixteen days after Cyclone Chido, the most destructive storm in the archipelago in 90 years

With at least 39 dead and over 5,600 injured, the human and material damage is extensive. In response, the government presented an ambitious reconstruction plan titled “Mayotte debout”, combining emergency measures and long-term commitments.

Priority to restoring essential services

• Electricity: The goal is to restore electricity to all households by the end of January, with the deployment of 200 additional agents and 200 generators, prioritizing critical infrastructure.
• Drinking water: Current limited distribution will be improved with the intervention of military engineering units. Production will reach 40,000 m³ per day by June 2025, with a ring-fenced budget of €60 million for water infrastructure.
• Telecommunications: 200 Starlink antennas will be deployed for emergency communications, while 5G coverage is expected by June 2025. A fiber optic deployment plan is also underway with a €200 million investment.

Reconstruction and rehousing

• Ban on slums: The state commits to preventing any illegal reconstruction. Tarpaulins, roofing materials, and structural supplies will be urgently delivered, while state-backed loans will offer exceptional conditions for housing rehabilitation.
• Humanitarian aid: Over 240 tons of materials have been delivered, including tarpaulins, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and essential supplies.

Education and school reopening

• School reopening will begin gradually from January 13, on a school-by-school basis. “Tent schools” will be set up in partnership with the NGO Acted. Students in exam classes will receive specific support, and temporary schooling in mainland France will be offered to voluntary families.

Security and vigilance

• To prevent looting and protect school facilities, additional police and gendarmerie forces will be deployed, along with the training of 300 local auxiliaries. Maritime patrols will also enhance border security.

Support for the health system

• The Mamoudzou hospital center, damaged, will be sponsored by mainland institutions. The health reserve will be mobilized, and an attractiveness plan will aim to recruit and retain doctors, nurses, and midwives.

An adapted legislative framework

• An emergency law will be presented to the Council of Ministers on January 3, including the creation of a public reconstruction agency modeled after Notre-Dame. A programming law for the archipelago’s renewal will also be developed within three months, with an updated population census.

Airport reopening

• The Marcel-Henry Airport, whose control tower was destroyed, will reopen to commercial flights on January 1, facilitating the repatriation of Mahorans stranded outside the archipelago.

With the “Mayotte debout” plan, the government demonstrates its determination to restore dignity to Mayotte and build a more resilient future, learning from this natural disaster.