Signing of grant agreement and protocol for partial annulation of debt

The signature ceremony was held in the presence of the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Jugnauth. The signatories were the Financial Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Dev Manraj, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Mauritius, Mr Sun Gongyi.

In his address, Prime Minister Jugnauth expressed gratitude towards the Chinese government for the partial annulation of the debt which, he said, will help ease the debt burden of the country. He further added that the new agreement of 100 million RMD will help Mauritius in its bus modernisation programme, in particular for the acquisition of electrical vehicles from China.  

Acknowledging the deep historical and friendly ties that exist between the People’s Republic of China and Mauritius, he lauded China’s commitment to deepen the ongoing relationship and cooperation between the two countries. He recalled that China has always supported Mauritius in the implementation of several projects namely in sports, construction of dams, road infrastructure, waste water, health, airport infrastructure and agriculture.

Mr Jugnauth also spoke of the free trade agreement which the two countries will soon sign, the first that the Chinese Government will sign with an African country. He further stated that Mauritius and China are collaborating on a project pertaining to the construction of 6 000 social houses. With regard to the construction of an ultra-modern multi-sports complex in the country, he pointed out that the implementation of the project would not have materialised without the assistance of the Chinese government. The project, he added, will not only enhance the visibility of China’s contribution in Africa, but will also testify the strong relations that exist between the two countries.

Recalling his participation at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing last year, Prime Minister Jugnauth listed out the eight laudable initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping. They are: industrial promotion, connectivity of infrastructures, exchange facilitation, ecological development, capacity building, health services, exchange among people, peace, and security. He expressed satisfaction that China is giving special attention to Small Islands Developing States, following the request of the Mauritian Government.

For his part, Ambassador Gongyi reiterated China’s support in the economic and social development of Mauritius. He added that the signing of the two agreements have propelled the relations between the two countries to a new level. Furthermore, he said that China’s engagement with Africa has accelerated over the decades, especially in key areas such as infrastructure, natural resources, and aid and loans.