Highlights Of Cabinet Meeting – Friday 26 May 2023

The Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The highlights of the deliberations are as follows:

1. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of an Agreement between the National Environment Cleaning Authority (NECA) and the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, for the implementation of its awareness campaign. NECA is embarking on a National Awareness Campaign with a view to creating awareness among the population on the goals and objectives of its National Cleaning Programmes as well as to sensitise the public on the importance of keeping the environment clean.
2. Cabinet has agreed to the adoption of the National Biomass Framework in line with Government’s target of producing 60 percent of the country’s energy needs from green/renewable sources by 2030. The National Biomass Framework has as objective to increase the bioelectricity production by promoting and implementing projects for more efficient use of sugarcane bagasse, more trash collection, introduction of higher fibre cane varieties, cultivation of other energy crops and biomass import.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Central Water Authority (Dry Season) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2023 to extend its application until 30 June 2023. The Regulations provide for authorisation for irrigation of sugar cane through abstraction of water resources during defined days and time.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the renewal of generators, pumps and chlorination equipment at different Water Treatment Plants by the Central Water Authority to ensure continuous treatment and distribution of potable water to the population.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the implementation of a major pipe replacement programme covering 400 km of pipes by the Central Water Authority with a view to rendering better water supply with increased pressure and increased hours of supply to the whole population.
6. Cabinet has taken note that in a Press Release dated 24 May 2023, the UNESCO announced the inscription of 64 documentary collections on its Memory of the World Register, including the following two nominations from Mauritius:
   • “The Slave Trade and Slavery Records in Mauritius (1721 – 1892)”; and
   • “The archival collections on the Bienheureux Père Jacques Désiré Laval – The Apostle of Mauritius”
7. Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organised by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in the context of the International Day of Yoga 2023. An official ceremony would be held in collaboration with the High Commission of India on Saturday 24 June 2023 at the Sports Hall, Côte D’Or National Sports Complex.

The main objective of the event is to raise awareness on the principle of yoga, an age-old practice, especially breathing exercise and the different yoga postures which have the beneficial effect of reducing stress, tension and leading to overall sound health. The theme for this year is “Humanity”.

8. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of the permanent exhibition and ‘Exposition de Préfiguration’ at the Intercontinental Slavery The Museum would host the ‘Exhibition on the Military Hospital’, ‘Exhibition on the Truth and Justice Commission’, ‘Collection de Froberville’, ‘L’Afrique avant la colonisation’, ‘Correcting the records’, ‘Collection d’Albion (Dr Seetah), ‘Genealogy’, ‘Collection Moulin à Poudre’, ‘Le Code Noir’, ‘Jardin de Médecine Traditionelle’, amongst others.
9. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Price Analysis and Monitoring Division in the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection which would be responsible for Price Fixing, Price Monitoring and Market Research and Analysis, for both Mauritius and Rodrigues. The strategic objectives of the Price Analysis and Monitoring Division would be to:
   • implement the price control mechanism for essential commodities both in Mauritius and Rodrigues, for the welfare of consumers and to prevent traders from profiteering while maintaining a sound and fair commercial environment;
   • undertake market/industry research and analysis for price control strategies and ensure undisrupted supply of essential commodities on the market; and
   • conduct thorough monitoring and analysis on price evolution of commodities in line with international markets for policy recommendation and Government intervention.
10. Cabinet has taken note that on Thursday 29 June 2023, activities under the Codex Trust Fund Project, funded by the World Health Organization, would be launched in the context of World Food Safety Day. The theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day is “Food Standards save lives”. The Codex Trust Fund Project includes the initiation of a Codex Mauritius website and advocacy materials, to promote Codex activities and raise awareness on Codex among local stakeholders.
11. Cabinet has taken note that a delegation led by the Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister on Thursday 25 May 2023. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance is an intergovernmental organisation whose mandate is to support sustainable democracy worldwide.
12. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing in Mauritius. As at 24 May 2023, there were 73 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 10 were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period 18 to 24 May 2023, there was no death attributed to COVID-19.
13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in the 118^th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Executive Council (EC). The following issues were, inter alia, agreed:
    • recognising the need to draw the lessons from the COVID-19 crisis to generate greater resilience within travel and tourism and to ensure preparedness in the face of future threats, the EC adopted a resolution in relation to preparedness plan to safeguard against the eventuality of future pandemics;
    • the World Health Organisation would draft and negotiate a convention on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response;
    • the Task Force on ‘Redesigning Tourism for the Future’ was endorsed by all EC Member States; and
    • the theme of the World Tourism Day 2024 would be “Tourism and Peace”.

The Deputy Prime Minister also had bilateral meetings with the Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chair of the EC, the Secretary-General of UNWTO, the UNWTO Regional Director for Africa, the Minister of Tourism of Côte D’Ivoire, Vice-Chair of the EC and Chair of Commission for Africa and the Ministers/Vice-Ministers of Tourism of Brazil, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Jamaica and Paraguay.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in the 37^th Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) held recently in The Council, inter alia, reviewed the implementation of the IOC programmes and projects, discussed the restructuring of the Secretariat and the orientations of the organisation.

The following main issues were, inter alia, discussed during the Meeting:

• the Strategic Development Plan 2023-2033, which provides the main orientations of the IOC for the next decade, was adopted;
• the elaboration of regional strategies to enhance connectivity;
• regional mechanism for joint procurement of basic products; and
• the setting up of a Masters course on epidemiology, which would be provided by a consortium of regional institutions with the Mauritius Institute of Health as the lead partner.

The Council also agreed to the restructuring of the Secretariat through the creation of additional posts and establishment of manuals so as to obtain the accreditation of the European Union and Green Climate Fund.

The Minister also had bilateral meetings with the Secretary of State to the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of development, of the Francophonie and international partners and the Ambassador of Algeria to Madagascar.