Increasing numbers of migrants, mainly Congolese, are reaching Mayotte via a journey through Tanzania and the Comores. This Indian Ocean route, though not new, has intensified since 2023, according to an anthropologist specializing in migrations. Asylum requests from these nationals have risen sharply in recent years.
Migrants from East Africa, particularly the Great Lakes region, undertake a lengthy journey to reach the shores of Mayotte, France's 101st department. The route takes them first to Tanzania, via Dar es-Salaam where smugglers direct them, then to the Comores, before arriving on the island.
"This Indian Ocean route is not new, but it has significantly intensified since 2023," explains anthropologist Alison Morano, a specialist in migrations in Mayotte. She notes that the presence of these migrants has become visible on the island, unlike in 2015 when it was marginal.
In the absence of precise data on these flows, figures from the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra) show a marked increase in asylum applications. In 2024, out of 2,463 files registered in Mayotte, more than half were submitted by Congolese, compared to 37% (1,150 people) in 2023 and 4% (150 individuals) in 2021. Nearly 1,250 applications came from Congolese in 2024, compared to 150 in 2021.
This trend continues into 2025, although figures are hard to establish due to the devastating cyclone Chido that struck in December 2024. These Congolese asylum requests are most often linked to the conflict in the east of their country.
