Without an official on-site contact, the Association of Comorian Students and Nationals in Russia (Aecr) wants the Comorian authorities to appoint a diplomatic representative or focal point to accompany the Comorians in their administrative work.
The Comorian community in Russia faces several difficulties, including administrative, linguistic and social. Students want better support. This is the plea made by the new president of the Association of Comorian Students and Nationals in Russia (Aecr), El Arif Mze Hamadi, and the members of his office, met Friday, 9 October in Moscow, on the margins of the second World Digital Forum.
For Comorian students residing in Russia, the absence of an official interlocutor able to relay their concerns is one of the main obstacles to their stay in the largest country in the world.
“The problem we have here is that we do not have a responsible person to address. When we encounter difficulties, we do not always know who to contact, either here in Moscow or in Moroni,” says Ibrahim Youssouf, vice-president of the association. Lack of support is particularly evident in administrative procedures.
A change in the university curriculum, the renewal of certain documents requiring certification or the resolution of difficulties related to their student status can quickly become complicated. To this is added the Russian language barrier, which sometimes makes it difficult to interact with administrations and academic institutions. “We wish to have someone who can collect our claims and pass them on to the competent authorities,” stresses the President of the Aecr.
The dean of the association, Chamsoudin Mohamed, stresses the need to establish a permanent link between the Comorian community in Russia and the institutions of Moroni. According to Aecr officials, several attempts to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been made, without a solution. In the absence of an ambassador or a Comorian consul in Russia, students propose the designation of a focal point within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collect their concerns and facilitate their work.
In this context, they welcome the ad hoc support of the Embassy of Senegal in Moscow. “Sometimes, if we have a problem and we don’t have a solution, when it requires a diplomatic commitment, the Embassy of Senegal helps us. We are very grateful,” admits the dean of the association. Such assistance is appreciated, but is limited in view of the difficulties encountered. The Aecr Bureau hopes to meet with President Azali Assoumani or Foreign Minister Mbae Mohamed at the Russia-Africa summit scheduled for 28 and 29 October in Moscow.
Beyond administrative formalities, the association wants to be more involved in welcoming Comorian students who arrive in Russia to continue their studies. Every year, the Russian Federation grants some 20 scholarships to Comorians. Beneficiaries often discover a country whose realities and peculiarities they do not know. However, according to Aecr officials, the association is not always informed of their arrival early enough, making it difficult for them to take care of them. Some new students thus arrive without an organised reception or appropriate orientation.
However, the association believes that it can play an essential role from the very beginning in Russia, in particular by organising their reception at the airport, accompanying them to their academic institutions and providing practical advice to facilitate their installation. “It would be better if we were informed in advance of the arrival of new students so that we could organize ourselves to welcome them and direct them to their universities,” says treasurer Ali Said Mohamed.
Despite these difficulties, Comorian students claim to be actively involved in cultural life and activities in Russia. Regularly invited to events and competitions, they help to make the Comoros known to the Russian public. The association highlights a trophy won in 2023 in a traditional dance competition in Moscow. According to its members, this distinction reflects their desire to represent Comorian culture and traditions in a dignified manner beyond the academic framework.