How did the opening of the Suez Canal reduce Comoros’s importance as a trading centre?

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 significantly reduced the importance of the Comoros archipelago as an entrepôt for trade.1

Before the canal's construction, the islands served as a vital trading hub for vessels navigating the long sea route around Africa between East Africa and various Asian ports, such as India and Japan. By providing a direct, short sea route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, the canal bypassed the traditional maritime paths that had previously necessitated stops at the islands. While this shift diminished the archipelago's role as a commercial transit point, it did not eliminate its strategic value.12