José Manuel Bolieiro expresses solidarity with Mayotte after devastation caused by Cyclone Chido - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, sent a letter to the President of the Departmental Council of Mayotte, Ben Issa Ousseni, following the destruction caused by Cyclone Chido in the French archipelago. The storm caused devastation in Mayotte, an outermost region of the European Union located between Madagascar and Mozambique, with a population of 321 thousand inhabitants.

The head of the Azorean Government expressed sorrow for the human losses and solidarity with the inhabitants of Mayotte.

"It was with great concern and sadness that we learnt of the terrible consequences of the passage of Cyclone Chido through Mayotte. The vulnerability of islands to climatic events is a fact. We are aware of the difficulties we sometimes encounter in protecting our populations. But what happened in Mayotte last week went far beyond what we could have predicted," he noted.

José Manuel Bolieiro also emphasised the severity of the situation and the impact suffered by the local communities: "First of all, we regret all the lives that were lost. Then we think about the suffering of all the Mayotte people who lost their property and the effort that the Departmental Council of Mayotte is undertaking to fulfil its public service mission."

The President of the Government showed his solidarity with the people of Mayotte, expressing his deep sorrow for the lives lost and the suffering of the families affected, at a time of great pain and difficulty for this territory.

Cyclone Chido had devastating consequences for Mayotte, an overseas department of France since 2011 and has been part of the European Union as an Outermost Region since 2014. Emergency teams continue to work hard to restore basic services in the archipelago. The solidarity shown by the Azores is an example of crucial support in responding to the difficulties island communities face in the face of climate challenges.