History of the Comoros (1978–89)
The Comoros is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa. France first established colonial rule in the Comoros in 1841. Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. On July 6, 1975, but the Comorian parliament passed a unilateral resolution declaring independence. The deputies of Mayotte, which remained under French control, abstained. Referendums on all four of the islands excluding Mayotte showed strong support for independence. Ahmed Abdallah proclaimed the Comoros' independence on September 5, 1975 and became its first president.
Union for the Development of the Comoros
The UPDC was established in February 2013 as an alliance of parties that supported President Ikililou Dhoinine. It was initially named the Rally for Democracy in the Comoros ("Rassemblement pour la Démocratie aux Comoros", Radeco), but was later renamed Union for the Development of the Comoros.