The decree, dated June 8, appeared yesterday Thursday in the French official newspaper. This makes the archipelago the glorious islands, which belong to the scattered islands, the 170th French nature reserve. The glorious islands, located in the Mozambique Channel, and French possession, were still part of the islets that Madagascar claimed against France since 1973. The claim was repeated by President Andry Rajoelina since his arrival in the presidency.
with our correspondent in Antananarivo, Laure Verneau
These are two sandy islands formed on an atoll in the Indian Ocean: Lys Island and Grande Glorieuse Island. The archipelago is 7 km2 square meters of cumulative land and is located in almost 45,000 km2 of water under French jurisdiction.
The classification as a national nature reserve makes it possible to protect and preserve the archipelago’s biological diversity, a classification that Emmanuel Macron already announced in October 2019 while on a stopover on the island of Grande Glorieuse. “Here it’s France, it’s our pride, our wealth,” he then explained.
But beyond the environmental issue, there is one diplomatic issue because the glorious islands are part of the scattered islands, islands that Madagascar claimed for more than forty years to France. With the scattered islands, France is sovereign over the entire central corridor of the Mozambique Channel, a strait that was considered to be very rich in hydrocarbons. .
► Also read : The scattered islands, confetti in the heart of French-Malagasy disputes (disputed territories file)
And the discussions initiated by the Joint Committee for almost two years have been stopped, interrupted, it is said, by the pandemic. And when Madagascar claims sovereignty over these islands, France is talking about co-administration. Does this decree signify the end of the talks? The authorities have not yet responded officially.
► Also read : Scattered Islands: R. Labévière advocates “shared cooperation in the maritime zone” in conflict
.
