The Government of Japan is extending assistance to the Government of Mauritius by providing 550 million Yen (Rs 174 million) for the procurement of medical equipment to upgrade public hospitals in Mauritius.
In that context, a signing ceremony for the Exchange of Notes between Mauritius and Japan, related to the grant under the Japan’s Grant Aid “Economic and Social Development Programme” between the Government of Japan and the Government of Mauritius, for the procurement of medical equipment, was held, today, in Port Louis.
The signatories were the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Mauritius, Mr Shuichiro Kawaguchi. The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, was also present.
In his address, Dr Padayachy expressed his deepest gratitude towards the Government of Japan for the assistance provided. He highlighted that the financial support will help the country to build further resilience in its health sector through the procurement of state of the art medical equipment which will help improve the quality of patient-centred services.
He recalled that the grant forms part of a broader cooperation between the two countries in several fields such as economy, technology, and training. He commended the Japanese Government for the assistance provided to Mauritius over the years adding that the new grant will further intensify the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Speaking about trade between the two countries, he pointed out that during the first semester of 2022, Mauritian total exports to Japan was Rs 328 million while the exports from Japan to Mauritius was around Rs 2,5 billion. He added that the Foreign Direct Investment from Japan to Mauritius stands at 2,8 billion dollars.
Furthermore, Dr Padayachy stated that Mauritius is strategically well located and hence more investment opportunities can be availed by Japanese investors in the fields of healthcare, real estate, ocean economy, agro-industry, renewable energy, and financial services.
He concluded by expressing his wish to see greater physical presence of Japanese institutions in Mauritius such as the JICA Regional Office.
As for the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, Mr Kawaguchi Shuichiro, he underlined that recently Japan has extended assistance in the health sector in Mauritius bilaterally and through the United Nations Development Programme. He highlighted that Japan has upgraded the capability of the hospitals in Mauritius by providing necessary medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking about the financial assistance provided this time, he pointed out that Japan will provide for operating tables, MRI, lithotripsy machines, set of instruments with urology towers and anaesthetic machines.
He expressed hope that the assistance will not only enhance the health sector in Mauritius but also represents a symbol of the strong friendship between the people of both countries.
