The World Bank's latest economic update on the Comoros positions the blue economy — fisheries, coastal tourism, marine resources — as the primary driver of sustainable growth for the archipelago. The strategic framework arrives as the Comoros record their best growth figures since the pandemic.
Exceptional Marine Resources
The Comoros has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 160,000 square kilometres — a vast maritime space relative to its total land area of just 2,235 km². This EEZ holds significant fishery resources — notably yellowfin and bigeye tuna — as well as some of the best-preserved coral ecosystems in the Indian Ocean. According to the World Bank, these resources are significantly undervalued relative to their potential.
World Bank Recommendations
The note, titled "An Ocean of Opportunities", identifies several development levers: strengthening artisanal and semi-industrial fishing capacity, developing high-value niche tourism (diving, ecotourism, cruises), establishing strengthened maritime governance, and attracting investment in local seafood processing. These recommendations come alongside a call to upgrade port infrastructure — an indispensable prerequisite for any blue economy development.
A Growth Acceleration
The World Bank report arrives as the Comoros records GDP growth of 3.8% in 2025 — its best performance since the Covid-19 crisis, according to Financial Afrik. Diaspora remittances — exceeding USD 150 million per year — have underpinned domestic consumption and the construction sector. The blue economy could become the second growth engine the archipelago needs to reduce its remittance dependence.
Why It Matters
The Comoros occupies a strategic geographic position at the crossroads of the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar, the East African coast and southern Africa. A successful blue economy development would insert the archipelago into regional economic circuits and attract investors active in sustainable fisheries, ecotourism and marine energy. For Indian Ocean business, Comoros represents an emerging market of significant potential. Source: World Bank, Comoros Economic Update 2026; Financial Afrik, 31 August 2026.