Doing Business in the Comoros

Subject (Course): International Trade and Business in the Comoros - Moroni

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to the Union of the Comoros (East Africa).
2. Doing Business in Moroni.
3. Comorian Economy.
4. International Trade of the Comoros
5. Business and Investment Opportunities in the Comoros
   - Tourism sector
   - Agriculture and food industries
   - Fishing sector
6. Transportation and infrastructure
7. Comoros’ Investment Promotion Agency
8. Introduction to French and Arabic
9. Access to the Comorian Market
10. Business Plan for the Comoros

Objectives of the subject "Doing Business in the Union of the Comoros":

1. To analyze the Comorian economy and foreign trade
2. To evaluate business opportunities in the Comoros
3. To explore Comoros' trade relations with the student's country
4. To know Comoros' Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
5. To develop a business plan for the Comorian Market

Sample of the subject - Doing Business in the Comoros:

Subject Description (Doing Business in the Comoros).

Vanilla: 75% of the Comorian exports.

50% of Comorian live below the international poverty line of USD 1.25 a day.

The Union of the Comoros:

1. Moroni is the capital of the Comoros (47.000)
2. Comorian population: 889,000 people
3. Area: 2.236 km²
4. Comorian official languages: Arabic, French, and Comorian (Influences of Swahili)
5. Nearest countries of the Union of the Comoros: Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Seychelles
6. A crime-free nation

The main religion of the Comoros: Islam

The Comoros belongs to the East African Economic Area of the African Civilization.

Comorian economy:

1. The economy of the Union of the Comoros relies mainly on the agricultural sector and has a narrow export base with three export commodities: vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang.
2. Vanilla and cloves account for 75% of the exports of the Union of the Comoros.
3. Agriculture contributes 40% to gross domestic product, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports revenues
4. Union of the Comoros has an inadequate transportation system, a young and quickly increasing population, and few natural resources.
5. The industrial zone in the Port of Moroni
6. Comorian GDP growth: 3.6%
7. Top economic sectors: agriculture (50% of GDP), retail, tourism, construction
8. Telecommunications is a state monopoly
9. Top trading partners: Turkey, Singapore, India, the European Union, and the Emirates
10. 100% tariff reduction on imports from members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

Closest ports:

1. Port of Mombasa (Kenya)
2. Port of Toamasina (Madagascar)
3. Port of Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)
4. Port of Nacala (Mozambique)

Comores' Preferential Trade Agreements:

1. Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
2. COMESA-EAC-SADC Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
3. AGOA United States-Africa
4. Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
5. The EU: Cotonou Agreement - Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
6. COMESA-United States Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
7. Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

The Union of the Comoros is a member of:

1. Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA)
2. African Union (AU) - Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption
3. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
   1. Trade Preferential System among the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (TPS-OIC)
   2. Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)
   3. Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry
   4. Islamic Center for the Development of Trade
   5. Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC)
4. Arab League - the Afro-Arab cooperation - Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
5. African Development Bank
6. Asia-Middle East Dialogue
7. Summit of South American-Arab Countries
8. Arab Development Funds
9. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
10. New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
11. Islamic Development Bank
12. Africa (The Comoros) - BRICS
13. Africa (The Comoros) - Asia Strategic Partnership
14. Francophonie
15. United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Forum Africa-China, Forum Africa-India,

Trade Preferential System OIC: