Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced on Tuesday an inventory of very varied measures aimed at improving daily life in the French overseas territories, in particular the purchasing power of its population.
Taxation, water, education, disability, housing… After an Overseas Interministerial Committee (CIOM), the head of Government presented a plan of 70 measures.
Reform of port fees
The most sensitive issues – institutions, immigration and security – were not discussed at this meeting.
Among the announced decisions, a future “deep” reform of dock fees, tariff protection for products imported into overseas territories.
The cost of living is higher abroad than in France, particularly due to food prices, according to a recent INSEE study.
2,300 million euros of investment in four years
Elisabeth Borne also announced 2.3 billion euros in investments over four years (2024-2027) for infrastructure and public services, compared to 1.8 billion between 2019 and 2022.
These investments will be used “mainly to finance water and sanitation networks, transport infrastructure and schools,” according to the prime minister, as access to water in several overseas communities is hampered by the dilapidated state of the networks.
The decree that freezes the prices of bottled water in Mayotte, eagerly awaited on the Indian Ocean island hit by a water crisis, “will be published tomorrow,” he announced, and promised on the other hand “to relaunch the preparation of a bill specific to Mayotte”.
A “recovery plan” will begin, of 150 million euros over four years, for the medical-social support of people with disabilities, he added.
The Government has also promised to increase scholarships for students abroad, by 30 euros per month, and that more groceries -3 out of 4- can qualify for aid for territorial continuity, which makes it possible to have plane tickets at reduced price.
Source: BFM TV
