Overview
- The Îles Éparses, five small islands in the Mozambique Channel, are claimed by Madagascar, Comoros, and Mauritius but remain under French administration since 1960.
- The islands provide France with control over a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rich in hydrocarbons, fisheries, and strategic maritime routes.
- France and Madagascar have announced the first meeting of their bilateral commission since 2019, scheduled for June 30, 2025, to discuss the islands' future.
- France has proposed a co-management framework, while Malagasy sovereigntists demand the full retrocession of the islands as part of decolonization efforts.
- The islands' biodiversity and strategic location bolster France's diplomatic and environmental influence in the Indo-Pacific, amidst growing global interest in the region.