French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will visit the Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte from August 26 to 27 for a comprehensive review of local progress.
The Prime Minister's office at Matignon announced the official dates to Agence France-Presse on Saturday, August 15, updating earlier schedules that had placed the trip from August 25 to 26. Matignon stated that the visit aims to conduct a complete review of Mayotte's future, marking one year since the implementation of a major five-year recovery plan for the island department.
Mayotte is an archipelago located in the Mozambique Channel off the coast of East Africa. As an overseas department of France, the territory relies on administrative leadership from Matignon, the official office and residence of the French Prime Minister in Paris.
Focus on Recovery and Illegal Immigration
During the visit, Lecornu intends to address several critical issues facing the territory, including ongoing reconstruction efforts, measures against illegal immigration, the upcoming start of the school year, and access to healthcare. The Prime Minister will also review local infrastructure and transport projects across the archipelago.
The agenda reflects the core pillars of the programming law for the refoundation of Mayotte, which was passed by parliament in August 2025. The legislation allocated nearly 4 billion euros in investments through 2031 to improve the water network, construct a new prison, eradicate substandard housing, and develop regional infrastructure.
The legislative package was spearheaded by Lecornu's predecessor at Matignon, François Bayrou, who pushed for rapid approval after Cyclone Chido devastated the archipelago in December 2024. The storm killed 40 people in the department and caused extensive destruction.
Political Visits to the Region
Lecornu's arrival will follow just days after a visit by another of his predecessors at Matignon, Édouard Philippe. Philippe, the candidate for the presidency and leader of the Horizons party, is set to travel to Mayotte and the nearby department of La Réunion from August 21 to 25.
La Réunion is another French overseas territory located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. High-level visits from national political figures underscore the ongoing governance and developmental focus on France's overseas territories in the region.
