Al- habib Ahmed Ben Aboubacar Ben Soumeit (1861-1925)

A memorial day dedicated to the father of the first former mufti of Comoros al habib omar was held on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 in the city of Itsandra Mdjini. The theme focuses on peace, social cohesion, and the economy through the holy scholar al- habib Ahmed Ben Aboubacar Ben Soumeit. This cultural event was organized by al- habib Omar foundation, Ibnai Swafat association, the Management Committee of Itsandra Mdjini’s Heritage and sponsored by Tika, a Turkish NGO established in Comoros. Who was al habib Ahmed? According to our speaker and historian professor Idi Abdoulghaniou, al- habib Ahmed was born on 17th January, 1861 in the city of Itsandra Mdjini from an Arab father and a Comorian mother of Mzishe neighborhood. The young Ahmed lost his father when he turned 13. Dr. Abdoulwahab who was one of our lecturers said that the orphan boy received his first education and Arabic and Islamic instructions from the holy scholar Mwinyi Bahassane before traveling to the city of Hadramaout in Yemen to pursue his studies. The young student had a keen interest in literature, science and religion. The Comorian scholar wrote many books in various topics that deal with Islamic law, literature, biographies, etc. He was one of the first Comorian scholars to draw up the daily timetable for Islamic prayers for the country and East African countries as well. He was also the author of several prayers (including Rabana infaina bima anlamtana…) that people usually read when they finish Islamic lectures and conferences. The child of the country has traveled to many countries thanks to his immense knowledge. He was one of the prestigious Azhar Islamic university professors. He also worked as counselor for Mehmed VI Vahideddin in Istanbul who was the 36th and last Ottoman sultan from 1918 to 1922 of the Muslim Empire. Al- habib Ahmed worked in Zanzibar as cadi and member of the board of Islamic Waqf. He married a Comorian woman. And former mufti al- habib Omar was one of his progenies. He was buried in Zanzibar in 1925. Dr. Abdoulwahab thinks that al- habib Ahmed was inspired by the Shafi’i school and Sufism. Shafi'i is a school of thought within Sunni Islam. It’s one of the four major schools of jurisprudence (madhhabs): Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i. Shafi’i school is distinguished mainly by its methodology in deriving Islamic rulings. It prioritizes the Koran and authentic hadiths as primary sources. It uses analogical reasoning (qiyas) when texts are ambiguous. It rejects reliance on local customs (’urf), personal opinion (ra’y) and juristic discretion as sources. Abu Abdullah al- Shafi'i (767-820) was a Muslim legal scholar who played an important role in the formation of Islamic legal thought and was the founder of the Shafi’i school of law. The majority of Comorian scholars follow his legal methodology. Dr. Abdoulwahab explains the audience that Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam that focuses on personal experience of Allah, spiritual purification, and the pursuit of divine love and knowledge. “Al- habib Ahmed had the same level of knowledge like Imam Yahya ibn Sharaf al – Nawawi (October 1233 – 21 December 1277) who was a Sunni Shafi’i jurist and hadith scholar” he said. Dr. Ahmed ouleid discussed the tangible (buildings, clothes…) and intangible (habits and customs, oral traditions…) cultural heritage of the Comoros. He reminded the audience that Itsandra Mdjini is among the 6 Comorian cities selected by UNESCO to be candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage. He thinks it’s an opportunity for the country to boost the tourism sector and the economy as a whole. The conference ended with a presentation of certificates of recognition to four personalities who have served the country and the city: the Tanzanian ambassador in Comoros, scholar Said Hassan Charif and two famous personalities posthumously, scholar Said Omar Abdousoimad and great notable Mbaye Soilihi, peace upon them. May Allah bless and reward the organizers of this cultural event in our city.

Ramadan conferences in Itsandra Mdjini

A committee of young volunteers and some friends of a café had the genius idea to organize for the second time several conferences during the nights of the holy month of Ramadan in the city of Itsandra Mdjini. As the sacred month consists of 3 ashra (ten in Arabic language), a conference was scheduled at least for each week. Nevertheless, and due to some social events in the city, the first one was held on Monday 2, March 2026 which corresponds the 10th day of Ramadan of the Islamic calendar in Comoros. Professor Said Omar Dahalane was the guest speaker of the 1st conference held in the city.The topic was “uprightness and perseverance”. Dahalane said that all the prophets had to fast. According to him, to fast means to renounce some pleasures such as smoking, eating and drinking too much for the benefit of your health. He also talked about the night of fate known as “Laylatu al Qadr” in Arabic. He thinks it’s for the whole month of Ramadan. ‘’If you worship Allah during this month and you change your demeanor after Ramadan, this means you really and successfully caught the night of fate’’ he uttered. The second debate was held on Wednesday, 4 march. It was about “health and nutrition”. The guest speakers were Dr. Abubakar, Dr. Nahlwa Ahmed Rachid, Mrs. Fatima Hadji and Dr. Tadjidine Youssouf. According to Dr Abubakar, the first 1,000 days of an infant are vital and may determine his future in terms of physical and mental health. He suggests that parents should invest during that period for the benefit of their progeny. Nahlwa Ahmed Rachid is a holder of a PhD. in industrial microbiology. She focused her speech on cleanliness which is the basic of good health. According to her, parents should ensure the well-being of their children. She thinks that cleaning our houses while smirching our streets does not make sense. She took the example of microplastics that cannot be seen by our own eyes, but are everywhere in our food, including sea foods. Dr. Tadjidine discussed diabetes mellitus during Ramadan. In general, safe fasting and feasting is usually possible for the majority of people with type 2 diabetes if they follow medical advice. He recommended patients with type 1 not to fast even if they feel themselves quite well. Fatima hadji is a nutritionist. She insisted on the” first three years” theory of a child which can be crucial for their future. She also remembers the audience that the Koran suggests believers to be clean in their daily life. The 3rd conference was held on Friday 6 March. The theme of the talks “Malezi tsi ya mdzima” (i.e. education is not one person) was discussed by three professors from Itsandra Mdjini. Ahmed Rachid is a prominent Islamic scholar. In his view, giving a good name to your kid is a kind of prayer. “The aim of educating your offspring has nothing to do with making money in the future. An educated person is just a good person for the society,” he said. Idi aboulhaniyou is the regional director of “Msomo na Hazi” a governmental project backed by the European Union in Comoros. “Youngsters who dropped out of schools have a second chance to learn in a vocational school. Once trained, they can find jobs or create their own jobs,” he asserted. Echata Ahmed was also there to share her experience as an UNICEF cadre involved in children’s education in Comoros. The debate continued with a fourth conference on “education and training” after one week break. The guest speakers were Professor Elhadj Hassan, a Friday mosque preacher in Itsandra, Dr. Nourdine Basha and Dr. Sagaf from the University of Comoros. The 3rd ashra of the sacred month of Ramadan has been scheduled for the last conference on local development. Dr. Abdallah Nouroudine is the national director of “Msomo na Hazi”. As a guest speaker, he took the example of many developed and industrialized countries which left many of their own people in poverty despite their high GDP (gross domestic product). As they did not focus on the well-being of the human being, they failed, he said. Said Abasse is a political scientist doctor. He instanced the fishing industry to make his point. He asks himself why a fisherman is still poor despite his job. Does he lack imagination? He thinks that if a group of fishermen work together, they can buy a trawler instead of using dugout canoes. It’s the best way to develop their trade and prosper. Assoumani Saandi is an expert in public service and former minister. He suggests that each village or municipality should have a plan for their local development. In his opinion, every member of the community involved in a local project must be assessed and held accountable for any wrongdoing. Taoufik Youssouf is a cadre from Itsandra. He is also one of the customs and traditions spokespersons in the city. He was the last guest speaker. He was there to share his experience of what has been done in the last 30 years in his city. He argued that many infrastructures have been built or renovated such as mosques, community centers, libraries, sports field, etc., but they did not create enough jobs for the community. The two groups of young volunteers and a café who organized these series of conferences wish you a Ramadan Mubarak and happy Eid el Fitr!

Science and technology days at the IUT

IUT students with the French ambassador, Mr. Etienne Chapon The Science and Technology days were held at the university institute of technology (IUT) of the University of Comoros from Wednesday 17th to Thursday 18th December 2025. The institute is located in Moroni, Hamramba neighborhood. The aim of this first edition is to raise awareness in terms of innovation, training and student’s personal initiatives with the partners of the development of the country. Many students, professors, teachers, professionals and educational advisers attended the event. After the traditional welcome address by Ahmed Bacar, the director of the technical school, three speeches were respectively delivered by the French ambassador in Comoros, the rector of the state university of Comoros, and the minister in charge of the national education. Ibouroi Ali Toibibou, The rector was thankful about this initiative set up by the IUT. “This initiative matches our mission of public service institution which is to train, innovate, and contribute to the development of our nation,” he said. “These days are yours. Take this opportunity to introduce your projects, display your innovations, show off your talents, learn, exchange, and expand your networks,” the rector added. In his speech, Etienne Chapon, the French ambassador reminded the audience about the big infrastructure project that extends the buildings of the IUT in order welcome more students in the 2026/2027academic year. The project of modernization of the technical school is backed by the AFD (French agency for development). It will create 11 new training programs and welcome approximately a thousand students, he said. The diplomat also underlined the scientific and university cooperation between his country and the Comoros in order to meet the challenges of 21st century. Bakari Mvoulana is the Comorian minister of national education. He delivered his speech both in French and Comorian languages. According to him, the themes to be discussed in the panels, workshops, and exhibition halls demonstrate that our students have the ability to rise to the challenge set by the modern world. Approximately twenty booths are staffed by students from the university institute of technology of the University of Comoros. They cover various areas such as agro-food, digital and construction industries, and commerce. To illustrate, some students display a ‘Smart Home’ in which you can use a magnetic card to open the doors of your house and do other many things. Soidiki abdoul-malik is a sophomore student in Management (GEA.2).He has a genius idea. His agro-food project is simple. He wants you to eat delicious bread and cakes made from local breadfruit. Rahmatullah Said Assoumani is an IUT alumnus in Management. Her project is related to ‘Production and marketing of organic fries ‘in the country. Her goal is to reduce imports of frozen products and introduce consumers to healthy and locally sourced food. Nadjim Ahamada dreams to innovate. He launched DIGICOM. He wants to modernize management practices in the country’s parastatal and private institutions. His project involves setting up a comprehensive digital platform enabling the centralized management of employees, archives, contracts, QR code time tracking, correspondence, and general administration reports. After the opening ceremony, a panel of experts was set up to discuss some topics related to the development of the country. Panel №1 was about ‘AI, &Machine learning in Africa.’ It was chaired and led by Mr. Taoufik, a counsellor at the ministry of transport and ITC (information and technology communication). According to the ITC expert, AI (artificial intelligence) needs data to function normally. “No data, no AI. It’s like a car which cannot move without fuel,” he uttered. Dr. Abdoulkarim Mohamed Taki is a Maths professor at the IUT. He thinks that AI does not need data for logical reasoning, essay and dissertation. It can perfectly do the job, he explained. Taoufik took the opportunity to remind the audience an AI study tool for students called Google Notebook LM which is a great tool for creative projects. It can help you (students)organize research, summarize sources, then brainstorm, draft, and refine your text with AI suggestions such as quiz, summary, PowerPoint, flash card scripts, etc. Last but not least, one of the panelists reminds the students who attend the discussion to be careful as AI cannot replace your natural intelligence. The second panel dealt with ‘Job, entrepreneurship, and innovation.’ Laila Said Hassane is the former director of Meck Moroni. She was the chairwoman of this panel. According to her, employment is a kind of dynamo for the economic growth of a country. “Job creations mean an increase of purchasing power among young people who are in the employment market. It is also a factor of social stability for parents who may retire. Thus, we should avoid a gap between youth training and what companies really need,” she said. What’s the Comorian government’s insight in terms of jobs for youths? Djamil is the secretary general in the ministry of economy. He had his say. The slogan ‘a youth, a job’ has finally come true with a bill enacted by the government. “There are now many incubators for start-ups. Focal points are set up in the municipalities of the country. 2 billion KMF public funds are available to support youngsters who have projects in sectors such as blue economy, agriculture, tourism, and craftsmanship,” he proudly said. Chamsidine is the president of the Comorian chamber of commerce and industry. He thinks that the private sector is the real engine in terms of jobs creation as the public service employment is limited. “We should help the small enterprises which invest in the agriculture sector in order to reduce food imports,” he claimed. The president was thankful for Exim bank initiative that supports 10 women every year in entrepreneurship. “Despite many hurdles to overcome in terms of load shedding, water supply, bureaucracy, technical know-how, the government should roll out the red carpet for every entrepreneur,” he suggested. Mohamed Housseine Madi is the assistant director for ANPE (national agency for employment). According to him, many small and medium businesses including foreign ones have received authorization to open business in the country. “Did they create enough jobs? I am not sure of that because many complex and slow bureaucratic procedures do not facilitate the business environment,” he said. Panel 3 was about ‘Cybersecurity and digital sovereignty’. Karim Athoumani is a computer engineer from Yas Company. He was the moderator. He thinks there is a security and integrity territory issue for our public services in terms of information and personal data to be discussed. What are the threats for the Comoros? Ben mohamed, an engineer and consultant has his say. “Account hacking, blackmail via email, extortion of files and emails, sharing of false information, manipulation of individuals, suspicious links are major concerns everywhere and for everyone,” he said. Do we have control over our national digital infrastructure? Elyachourtu Hassan took part in many cybersecurity contests in East Africa region and won. He thinks there is no digital sovereignty without a national strategy. According to him, the national digital development agency (ANADEN) should have a coordinated strategy at the national level. Despite the 2022 cybersecurity law, nothing is done to prevent and respond to hacking attacks of our public institutions such as banks, public companies and ministries. Hassan said that east African countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda are advanced in terms of cybersecurity. It’s also the case for Mauritius Island after a hacking attack. Housni is an engineer from Comore telecoms. He knows that the state company does not have skilled people for cybersecurity. Thus, he imagined that scenario. Is the state telecom company able to track hackers and restore its website system in case of a hacking attack? Elyachourtu Hassan has the answer. He thinks it’s better to prevent than to cure. As actions speak louder than words, he suggests training and awareness programs in our schools and institutions. Panel 4 dealt with ‘Data protection and public data’. Chamsidine Soudjay is a cadre from ASECNA and active member of ACTIC (ICT Comorian association). He talks about the 2014 data protection law. Are there software programs to protect our data in case of hacking? That’s far from certain. He complains about the difficulties in the country in accessing public administration data. As our data is not computerized, paper archives can easily be lost, he said. Soudjay suggests the creation of a national data center to save and protect them. A roundtable discussion was organized that Thursday to debate ‘the lead role and place of IUT in the future’. Professor Ouleid Ahmed was the moderator. Dr Abdallah Nouroudine, director of Msomo na Hazi project and the rector of the University of Comoros were the main contributors. May Allah bless the IUT. Chami Mouzawar Contributing writer

A kingdom of beach volley

An international beach volley tournament was held in the city of Itsandra Mdjini from October 31 to November 2, 2025. The five countries of zone 7 of the Indian Ocean which were taking part in the championship are Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion and Seychelles. Mustapha Abdounour is the president of the Comorian federation of volley ball. He is also elected president of the African confederation of volley ball for the Indian Ocean zone since 2024. He is the boss and organizer with his teammate of that sporting event. It’s the second time that an international beach volley for zone 7 was held on the beach of the city. The presidents of the federations of volley ball of the Indian Ocean zone 7 were present to honor the event. Amir is the presenter of the beach volley contest. He is thankful for the companies that sponsored the sporting event. There are Yas (formerly Telma), Kenya airways, Kinaya, Aden water, Retaj hotel, to name a few. In addition, some local enterprises took the opportunity to display their products on the beach during that special weekend. Amir did not forget to thank mama Bairati and Mtsangani neighborhood for providing them all the chairs they need to welcome the visitors on the beach. The beach volley consists of two players for each team. There are teams for women and others for men. The final was held that Sunday. The finalists in the game for women are the Réunion versus the Seychelles. The Réunionese were dressed in black, blue and red undershirts whereas the Seychellois wore the marine blue jersey. The first set was won by the Seychelles team. The Réunionese succeeded in the second set. The women of Seychelles beat the Réunion team in the third and last set by 15 to 12. The final contest for men was between Réunion and Comoros. The first and second referees are respectively from Morocco and Comoros. The young boys of Réunion hardly won the first set by 21 to 19. They also are the winners of the second set by 21 to 16. Thus, the winners of this second edition of beach volley in Itsandra Mdjini are the girls of Seychelles and the boys of Réunion. The sporting event was honored by the presence of many cadres of the Comorian ministry of sports, the sporting federations of the hosting country, the French ambassador in Comoros, some notables from Itsandra Mdjini, and many visitors and tourists. Itsandra Mdjini is well-known for beach volley since the 1950s. According to some elders of the city, the game was start up on the beach of Itsandra by some professors, teachers, and instructors who used to work in the first French public schools built in Moroni and Mitsamiouli in that time. Therefore, the city is considered as the cradle or the kingdom of volley ball in Comoros. It was also an opportunity for the FIVB (International federation of volley ball) to organize a training of 11 Comorian referees, Level 1 from 20 to 24 October in the city of Itsandra. It was an indoor volley ball training conducted by Hassan Outidrarine, an international instructor from Morocco. Certificates of attendance were awarded to the trainees at the end of the tournament. In his closing speech, Mustapha, the president of the Comorian federation of volley ball thanked all the partners and sponsors who made the sporting event possible. “Your solidarity and cooperation mean a lot for us. We are confident and ready to welcome for the first time the Indian Ocean Islands Games which will be held in our country in 2027,” he said. Azali Said Ahmed is one of the cadres of the ministry of transport and tourism. He wishes to promote tourism, especially ecotourism in the country. He has recently been to Japan for the Osaka Expo 2025 in order to boost the Comorian tourism. “When an international sporting event is organized in Comoros, the teams and their delegates become consumers of what is made in our country. Hotel owners, restaurants, craftsmen, craftswomen, traders are the real winners,” he proudly said. A cabaret evening was held at the restaurants of Itsandra beach to close the event with all the guests of the beach volley zone 7 of the Indian Ocean islands. Itsandra Mdjini, November 3, 2025

Celebrating Eid al-Fitr in Comoros

While some Muslim countries celebrate the end of Ramadan this Sunday 30th March, 2025, Comoros islands and other countries have to wait until Monday 31st to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. This holiday corresponds to the first Shawal 1446 of the Islamic moon-sighting calendar. According to grand Cadi Said Othman, the expected naked eye moon-sight was confirmed by the cadi of the sister island of Mayotte. Therefore, Eid is declared by the Comorian authorities on news outlets and in mosques and the fun can begin. For those who have been observing Ramadan, the first thing to do was to give zakat al-Fitr to poor Muslims in the community before going to the mosque for the morning Eid prayer. Zakat definition Zakat is the third pillar of Islam. It goes far beyond the celebration of the end of Ramadan. The Arabic noun zakat means “religious tax” which is a charitable contribution for the poor that the wealthy Muslims are required to pay annually. It is also known as zakat al-mal or sadaqat. According to Islamic scholars, zakat al-Fitr is different from sadaqat. It has to be distributed just before the two or three- day festival of Eid al-Fitr or as soon as the new moon was observed. For example, the husband has to pay for him, his wife and children - including the baby born between the new moon, and before the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer-. He can also pay for his parents who cannot afford. Zakat al-Fitr is only distributed to Muslims. How to give Zakat al-Fitr Zakat al-Fitr is traditionally given in terms of food, especially the staple food of the country or locality where the Ramadan fasters live. It can also be paid cash according to imam Hanbal followers. Concerning this year, it is the equivalent of €9 or $10 for those who live in Europe or North America or 3,000 KMF for those who live in Comoros. Anyone who can afford but does not pay it, his Ramadan is not valid. Zakat al-Fitr is a way for the fasters to purify their Ramadan. Ask Allah forgiveness Elhadj Hassan was the preacher of the Eid prayer at the Friday mosque of Itsandra Mdjini. His speech was focused on pardon and forgiveness. He exhorted the believers to ask Allah for forgiveness, as well as forgive others who may have wrong them. “This holiday is the best opportunity for anyone who may have behaved badly to beg pardon to their brothers and sisters in Islam. Whoever is willing to make the first step is the best and wins Allah mercy and salvation, “he said. National and international issues Hassan told the audience to not forget the Palestinian people and other Muslim communities from around the world who did not have the opportunity to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr in peace, joy and prosperity. Like an activist, Hassan suggested the Comorian government to refuse that France establishes a military base in the Comorian island of Mayotte. In his traditional television address from the mosque of the city of Mitsudje, Azali Assoumani, the president of the Union of Comoros said that it is the time to take stock of the country’s 50 years of independence. Knowing what was wrong and fix it is the best way to move forward for the next fifty years, he said. After the Eid prayer in the morning, people - especially the young ones - start visiting families, enjoying traditional doughnuts and desserts, collecting candies, and even celebrating at carnivals in the villages and cities of the country from sunrise till sunset. Chami Mouzawar Contributing writer

Idioms in the Comorian language

Itsandra Mdjini in the 19th century Once upon a time a city known as Sankule or Itsandra Mdjini was ravaged by an epidemic disease called ‘mbelembe’. Many inhabitants of the city trembled and died. Doctors, experts, marabouts failed to find a cure. One day, a committee chaired by a notable called Mze went to consult a famous marabout who suggested changing the name of the city and replacing it by Mdjwazema(i.e. jerkwater of generosity).The committee accepted the proposal and went to see Mmadi Ali who was the man who called the shots in that time. The nobleman and the committee members were invited by the marabout to attend a solemn ceremony at the public place near the Friday mosque. As great notable Mmadi Ali did not swallow the new name, he took his baton, raised it and uttered: ‘‘ngefo Sankule, sha ketsufa Mdjwazema!’’ i.e. our city will die as Sankule not Mdjwazema. Thus, the charlatan’s proposal was rejected and since that day Mmadi Ali was nicknamed ‘ngefo sankule’. He was buried in Itsandra Mdjini at the cemetery known as the mausoleum Al-habib Omar Bin Sumeit. The idiomatic expression ngefo Sankule means never give up to stand up for your rights. The idiom Mbe kali mbe (a bull does not eat a bull) was coined by Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane, the father of the Comoros’ independence. His policy was focused on the unity (udzima) of the men and women of the four islands of the archipelago of Comoros. He nalayele was coined by prince Said Ibrahim. The verb huyela literally means to have a bath. In the volcanic islands, as a volcano always finishes in the sea, it’s like it takes a bath. Dzaha means volcano in the Comorian language. It can also mean catastrophe. During the internal autonomy under the French administration, the prince became the head of the government when president Said Mohamed Cheikh passed away. But, when his government was censored by the majority of the members of the parliament, the prince accepted to step aside. Nowadays, when you disagree with someone who is stubborn, you can say he nalayele and stay apart to avoid conflict. Kafa bo liwali was a slogan used on the radio during the authoritarian revolutionary regime of mongozi (leader) Ali Soilih. When President Ali Soilih wanted to finish quickly the administrative buildings called mudiria in the mid-1970s, he ordered his prefects (liwali) and their team to assiduously follow the project timeline to ensure they met the tight deadlines. Otherwise, there will be a catastrophe (kafa) for them. Now that you know the history of some Comorian idioms, do you know who coined Mariama homwa ndro (Mariama has been well stung)? What about ya liwusa na lariye (who lays egg, must hatch it)? Some people think that history is written by the victors. This idea, attributed to the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, is that our understanding of history is never complete or objective but tends to privilege the version of events of those in power or those who are skilled at documentation or writing. Chami Mouzawar, 1st /10/2024, the Comorian Blog

Science festival at the University of Comoros

The government and partners. The Faculty of science and technology of the University of Comoros celebrates from Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th May 2024 its 5th edition of the scientific days. The theme chosen this year is: ‘‘contribution of research and technological innovations, ecological transition, health and economic development of the Comoros’’. The event was sponsored by the ministry of higher education and vocational training, the French embassy in Comoros, ORTC, SONELEC, BDC, Comore telecom, Rooshdy Media, to name but a few. Dr. Amir Aboubacar was the moderator at the opening ceremony. He teaches statistics and mathematics at the French university of Lille. He is also the president of UONI – vision in Comorian language – which is an association created by some professors and researchers of the Comorian scientific diaspora in order to help their country’s origin in terms of science and technology. Some of them attended the event. Dr. Soulé Hamidou is the dean of the Faculty of science and technology of the University of Comoros located at the corniche campus in Moroni. ‘’This scientific event aims to raise government’s awareness of the importance of research for the development of our country and define the priority areas in terms of scientific research for our faculty,’’ the dean said. The administrator and acting president of the University of Comoros suggests structuring the faculties’ projects with the hierarchical administrations. He thinks that these kinds of events are extremely important to arouse the curiosity of our students in scientific matters. “As Doctoral training is our current priority, we intend to set up a multidisciplinary doctoral school for the 2024-2025 academic years,” he said. Ludovic khamchane works at the cultural department of the French embassy in Comoros. He reminded the audience that France is the 6th host country for international students. He praised the Faculty of science and technology for its dynamism and claimed that he works daily with them. He supports the idea of setting up a doctoral school for the next academic year. “We must promote all the men and women involved in research at the University of Comoros”, he said.

Some faculty of sciences students Dr. Takiddine is the minister of higher education and vocational training. He was thankful for the professors and researchers of the faculty of science and technology for the publication of their scientific researches. In addition, he recommends putting the synergy of their efforts together with the other schools and faculties and development partners for the emergence of the country by 2030. The minister also encourages the students to focus their further researches on the local products such as vanilla, clove, ylang flower, sea creatures, etc. which are all sources of wealth for the country. He claims that adding value to them means creating many jobs for young people. The dean of the faculty of sciences and technology was the first to make his presentation. He took the opportunity to present the state of research at his faculty. His school consists of three departments: Earth and Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. The students and faculty members work together in 9 research laboratories with few resources, he said. From 11 to 12 a.m. just after the coffee break, the public was invited outside to visit the booths, thematic posters and exchange with local traders. There were about 30 booths at the corniche campus this year. We had the opportunity to visit booth № 2. It specializes in the process for manufacturing food powder. The students explain that corn, peanut, sweet potato, red bean(nkude in shikomori language)contain a lot of starch that can be harmful as a food for a baby aged between 6 and 12 months. Therefore, we need more time to make sure that the starch has diminished before feeding the babies. The process can last several months, the students argue. They also display aromatic plants for the manufacture of essential oils used in medicine, cosmetics and the food industry. While stand № 3 focuses on juice manufacturing and quality control, booth № 1 specializes on the production of essential oils and water treatment.

Madrassa Al-Suddiq exhibitors We moved to the building that hosts booth № 17. We were welcomed by third-year students in Physics. They displayed a composter of organic materials. The process is pretty simple. “You collect household waste, let them dry during several weeks and mix them with soil by using 1/3 of compost and 2/3 of soil. Then let them dry again in a cool, clean and dry place for a couple of weeks. Then you can plant whatever you want, ‘’ the students explain to us. In order to fight against global warming, our physics laboratory students have their genius ideas. We can recycle household waste by mixing it with animal excrements to produce biogas for cooking and even electricity, they asserted. Other organizations, traders, schools and NGOs exhibited their know-how in the gardens of the faculty campus. They showed us how recycling tins, cans, boxes, plastic bottles, rubber to build useful trash boxes, model airplanes, cars, houses, toys and other playthings. Mbuweni middle school students in Moroni and madrassa al Sadiq in Bandamadji Itsandra students were among the exhibitors. Ulanga NGO displayed some posters and English books for those who wish to boost their knowledge in scientific English. Online and face - to - face thematic conferences continued from Tuesday to Wednesday afternoon. The Tuesday conferences and presentations deal with the genetic studies of the Comoros archipelago, the study of infant malnutrition in urban areas(example of Dakar, Senegal), foot and mouth disease on livestock in Anjouan, the problem of invasive exotic plants in Comoros, etc. Most of the presenters hold doctorates or are PhD candidates in overseas universities.

Ulanga NGO exhibitor The Wednesday lectures and presentations focused on many and various topics such as rational management of aircraft parking stands (case of the Comorian international airport, AIMPSI), exploratory study of the internet and its impact on economic growth in Comoros, the effects of economic growth due to CO2 emissions in SADC countries, valorization of marine sponges in the Comoros archipelago: exploration of their potential and prospects for sustainable use in the future as medicines, etc. Needless to remind you those other presentations in posters formats by some students and alumni from the faculty of science and technology from the University of Comoros. Some topics concern mangrove restoration initiatives, drilling techniques to obtain drinking water, plant formations on our islands, the diachronic study of land use in Moroni, the abundance and diversity of invertebrates in coastal villages, etc. Thursday 9th May was dedicated to visiting mount Karthala and a concert took place at the campus in the evening from 6 to 9 p.m. Twenty 20 years later, the Human Resources of the University of Comoros is having trouble retaining newly trained scholars when overseas colleges offer better wages. God save the University of Comoros! Chami Mouzawar, contributing writer