Comoros to inaugurate Assoumani as president

Comorian President Azali Assoumani will be inaugurated for a fourth term today.

16% of Comorians voted in the presidential election, with many voters boycotting it due to the jailing of opposition candidates such as former president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Special Envoy He Baoxiang will be in attendance. China is one of Comoros’ biggest trading partners, exporting $111.01 million worth of goods to Comoros in 2023. The island nation’s location in the Indian Ocean has made it an important partner for the Chinese who are looking to expand their influence in the region.

Comorian politicians opposed to Assoumani will likely call for additional protests against the results, which may cause a violent confrontation with authorities. In terms of foreign policy, Xi’s decision to send a dignitary to the inauguration likely signifies his intention to expand China’s footprint in the Indian Ocean to further isolate India.  Both countries are trying to outmaneuver each other in the Indian Ocean, and it is likely that China will double down on these efforts especially as India makes its own moves in the South China Sea.