Government will further incentivise the adoption of cleaner vehicles in Mauritius as well as promote sustainability and mobility and reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector. One of the commitments of Mauritius is to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector by encouraging the use of electric vehicles and diversifying our energy mix with the target of 60% green energy by 2030.
The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made this statement, last night, at the inauguration of Toyota Business Centre at Motor-city Bagatelle, in Moka.
In his address, Prime Minister Jugnauth highlighted that the deployment of more electric vehicles powered by clean and renewable sources of energy is one of the most effective strategies to curb carbon emissions in the transport sector. The operation of electric vehicles will help us achieve a 40% reduction in the overall carbon emissions by the end of this decade and this will allow Mauritius not only to honour its commitments to reduce carbon emissions but also to improve the balance of payment in terms of lower importation of fuel products, he emphasised.
Polluting vehicles not only undermine the environment but they also pose a threat to the health of our population, in as much as the transport sector contributes to around 28% of the overall emissions, recalled Mr Jugnauth. The land transport sector is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gas and the energy and transport sectors generate around 80% of the overall carbon emissions in Mauritius, he pointed out. There is a pressing need to reverse this trend and this can be achieved only with the collective efforts and the contribution of all relevant stakeholders, he underscored.
According to the Prime Minister, there is a gradual shift towards the adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles in Mauritius with more people embracing cleaner vehicles in the country. As at May 2022, there were 21 538 hybrid vehicles and some 718 electric cars registered with the National Land Transport Authority (NLTA), he indicated.
He recalled that the importation and distribution of motor vehicles is one of the main engines of growth of the Mauritian economy. The transport sector accounts for 13% of Gross Domestic Product and some 634 000 vehicles are registered with the NLTA, he remarked. The average growth in the vehicular fleet over the past five years stood at around 4.2% which indicates a steady rise in vehicle ownership, he said.
The Prime Minister also saluted the contribution of stakeholders such as Toyota (Mauritius) Ltd in shaping the transport industry in Mauritius. The Toyota brand is firmly established in the country, and since the introduction of the first Toyota car in 1964, the brand has been embraced by a significant number of Mauritians, he said. On that note, he commended the Issur family for having continuously endeavoured to provide high-quality services and reliable products to citizens and lauded Toyota (Mauritius) Ltd for its success.
For his part, Ambassador Kawaguchi expressed appreciation that Japanese brands and products are being promoted in Mauritius and lauded the reliability of the Toyota brand. He likewise extended his best wishes to Toyota (Mauritius) Ltd for embarking on a new venture with the inauguration of its Business Centre in Bagatelle.
In addition, Mr Kawaguchi observed that some Japanese companies are setting up resilient businesses in Mauritius. The Ambassador thus reiterated commitment in strengthening trade relations and economic cooperation between Japan and Mauritius and in bringing both countries closer.
As for Mr Issur, he retraced the history leading to the creation of Toyota (Mauritius) Ltd which was incorporated in April 2006 following the successful joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the trading arm of Toyota Motor Corporation, and The Beechand Co Ltd. He also highlighted the business expansion journey of Toyota Mauritius.
Speaking about sustainable development, Mr Issur pointed out that Toyota Mauritius has strongly considered sustainable endeavours in the development of new projects in line with Government’s initiatives for cleaner, greener and renewable energy.
