Union of the Comoros: Selected Issues

This Selected Issues paper focuses on the costing and financing of social development goals (SDG) in Comoros. Comoros is committed to achieve SDGs, but progress has been limited. This paper uses two models—a costing model and a financing model—to illustrate the large costs of reaching some of the SDGs related to social, human capital and infrastructure by the target year of 2030 and to highlight particular cost drivers. The substantial cost of achieving SDG, 18.8 percent of 2030 gross domestic product, is due to the country’s very low starting point and the inherent difficulties associated with its small size. The persistently very weak domestic resources are another reason for the substantive cost of achieving SDGs. The ongoing commitments of the authorities in the Extended Credit Facility program, with a focus on enhancing domestic revenue mobilization is a key to achieve better outcomes in this area. The fiscal space generated by the program could be both used to restore debt sustainability and to accelerate the achievement of SDGs in Comoros.