The National Assembly adopted Thursday the budget of the Ministry of Overseas Territories for 2021, which amounts to some 2.43 billion euros, a "
significant
"
increase
of 2.5% to 2.43 billion compared to 2020, according to the government.
The budget specific to the Ministry of Overseas Territories "
increases significantly
" by 6.4% in commitment authorization to 2.79 billion and 2.5% in payment appropriations to 2.43 billion, compared to 2020, has declared the Minister of Overseas Sébastien Lecornu.
But this only represents "
a small part of the State budget devoted to Overseas
", he stressed, since the policy for the Overseas "
covers 31 missions and 94 programs for an amount of some 19 billion
”.
Structural delays
A large part of the ministry's budget is devoted to employment and support for overseas businesses, via compensation for exemptions from employers' social charges, which are increasing (+ 97 million euros).
A government amendment, endowed with 30 million euros over three years, was adopted to support municipalities in financial difficulties who will commit, on a voluntary basis, to recovery efforts.
Another government amendment adopted broadened the territorial continuity assistance granted to overseas travelers to attend a relative's funeral.
From now on it will also apply to go to the bedside of the parent before the death, and will be granted to brothers and sisters.
At the request of LFI deputy Jean-Hugues Ratenon (Reunion), it will not only concern travel between Overseas Territories and mainland France, but also travel between overseas territories.
225 million euros will be devoted to the construction and renovation of housing, in particular for public land establishments in Mayotte and Guyana, the construction of schools in Mayotte and Guyana or of a high school in Wallis-and-Futuna .
But housing is down in payment credits, due to an “
under-consumption
” of these credits, linked in part to a lack of local engineering.
“
The time has come for disappointment
”, for Philippe Naillet (PS, Reunion).
"
The slight increases in credits will not make it possible to make up for the structural delays
", said Nathalie Bassire (LR, Reunion).
Stéphane Claireaux (LREM, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon) welcomed “
a significant increase in the budget
”, Maïna Sage (Agir ensemble, Polynesésie) “
stable or increasing credits
”.
To this budget must be added at least 1.5 billion euros for the overseas recovery plan, including around 500 million social measures, 50 million for water and sanitation in Mayotte and Guadeloupe, 50 million for the Antilles Earthquake plan, 80 million for agricultural transformation and 60 million to guarantee the loss of tax revenue for communities.
