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Europe's Forgotten Border

12:36

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Luisa von Richthofen
January 20, 2024

France’s overseas territory Mayotte is in a deep crisis. Can inhabitants like Wadaanti fulfil their dreams and leave precarious housing to study?

Geographically, the island of Mayotte is part of the Comoros archipelago, situated northwest of Madagascar. Yet politically, Mayotte is part of France and therefore a territory of the EU. A popular destination for migrants, mainly from the neighboring Comoros, but also from Africa, Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. Most of these migrants are forced to live in precarious housing, living in constant fear of being deported again. Frustration is growing among the local population due to a rise in crime, a lack of infrastructure, and inflation. Locals feel abandoned by the government and believe that migrants are to blame. With a water shortage on the island now, the situation is threatening to escalate. A report by Luisa von Richthofen.  

 

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