François Bayrou to visit Mayotte after cyclone Chido

Prime Minister François Bayrou will visit Mayotte on 29 and 30 December, accompanied by several members of his government, including Élisabeth Borne (Education), Manuel Valls (Overseas France), Valérie Létard (Housing), Yannick Neuder (Health) and Thani Mohamed Soilhi (Francophonie). This visit comes almost two weeks after the devastating passage of cyclone Chido, which caused 39 deaths, 124 serious injuries and destroyed many makeshift homes.

To date, only 40% of the population has access to electricity, and the distribution of drinking water and food remains vital. A crisis meeting dedicated to reconstruction and housing was held by videoconference on Christmas Day, chaired by François Bayrou. Bayrou, who was heavily criticised for his absence during the initial management phase, promised to speed up the government’s response.

The members of the government present in Mayotte will meet local authorities and residents to assess needs on the ground. The priority remains to restore essential infrastructure and provide lasting support for the people affected. ‘We cannot wait, these issues must move forward quickly’, insisted the head of government.