Republic of Mauritius- 7th session of Mauritius-EU political dialogue focuses on elevating existing partnership

In his keynote address, Minister Nandcoomar Bodha highlighted that the Mauritius-EU political dialogue offers both parties the opportunity to engage in discussions on a range of bilateral issues of common interest and on key regional challenges . The common aim of concluding a comprehensive agreement, he said, is to take into consideration the new geopolitical reality and to tackle common challenges and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. This will enable the creation of a new value-based political and economic win-win partnership in which the ACP and EU can emerge as a powerful joint force, with greater momentum on their close political cooperation on the world stage, he added.

The Minister emphasised that the EU is not only a key political, economic and development partner of Mauritius, but also a safe anchor and vital link for a modern and forward-looking and sustainably resilient country. He expressed Government’s gratitude to the EU for the critical role that the EU development cooperation spanning across many areas of human development, has been playing in the transformation of the socioeconomic landscape of Mauritius.

On that score, Minister Nandcoomar Bodha underpinned government’s drive and determination to advance further in the transformation of the economy into a vibrant and suitable resilient and innovation-based one and welcomed EU’s support to further engage in these socioeconomic pursuits. According to him, the political dialogue will not only reaffirm the high premium that Mauritius places on its relationship with the EU, but also discuss ways to elevate it by going beyond the logic of traditional development cooperation.

In her address, EU Ambassador  Marjaana Sall , underlined that Mauritius is an important strategic and valued partner of the EU for regional integration and reiterated its determination to continue to stand by Mauritius to work hand-in-hand with the Government to address global challenges and promote common interests. The EU, she said, is keen to support Mauritius in its modernisation agenda and through our various partnership and programmes, will support the country in its ambition to become an innovation-led high-income economy  , and become a hub for investment in Africa.

She underscored the core objective of  Post-Cotonou negotiations which  is to review the existing partnership  and adapt to the new reality  to further deepen collaboration and modernise a response to global development  by paying attention to the specific vulnerabilities, fragilities and challenges faced by SIDS , in particular those suffering from the adverse effects of climate change.  According to her, the political dialogue will offer opportunities to discuss how to further deepen our comprehensive partnership  to  further increase trade and investment and how to collaborate in the area if blue economy and maritime security.  

Moreover, Ms Sall pointed out that Mauritius and EU bilateral ties are beyond the donor-recipient relationship and is rather  partnership of equals wherein collaboration extends to  a number of areas such as investment and trade , blue economy ,fisheries, climate change and  maritime security. She  observed that the EU is a strong supporter of multilateral trade, and that the EU-ACP partnership enable the organisation to promote political cooperation on the global stage to tackle major challenges and underpinned EU’s recent  Africa-Europe alliance aiming to promote  sustainable investments,  strengthen trade, jobs  and improve  education and skills.