The Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The highlights of the deliberations are as follows:
- Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the Central Medical Procurement Authority Bill into the National Assembly. The main object of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of the Central Medical Procurement Authority, which would be responsible for the procurement of medical supplies on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Accordingly, the Authority would, in the discharge of its functions and exercise of its powers, be responsible for:
- the procurement of medical supplies for public health institutions;
- the warehousing of medical supplies;
- the supply and distribution of procured medical supplies to public health institutions; and
- ensuring that the stock level of medical supplies in public health institutions are maintained and are available at all times.
In addition, the Bill makes provisions with regard to reforms in the medical and e-health system of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
- Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre Trust Fund and the Aeronautical Society of Mauritius. The primary aims of the MoU would be to strengthen the mutual cooperation between the two institutions as well as promote and enlarge the exchange of technical, scientific and professional knowledge, to better serve their interests. The MoU would:
- allow the sharing of information related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Aeronautics and Aviation, including information relating to scientific and technical events of mutual interest;
- encourage members of both parties to exchange publications, with a view to establishing repositories of technical publications; and
- identify common areas of technology for collaboration, including the joint-holding and sponsoring of seminars, workshops, and conference.
- Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Infrastructure Division of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Community Development and the University of The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding would be to foster collaboration between the two parties, with respect to research on alternative, sustainable and modern methods of waterproofing for building projects.
- Cabinet has agreed to the recommendations contained in the Greening of the Public Sector Report commissioned by the European Union under the ‘Switch to Green’ Facility. The Report also comprises an Action Plan, a Green Charter and an Institutional Mechanism and is based on the outcome of a survey on a number of components, including a situational analysis at five public organisations, on a pilot basis to address the current gaps, challenges and requirements to green the public sector.
- Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius joining the Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation, which is managed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO). The primary objectives of the Collaborative Arrangement would be to:
- assist States with the implementation of the ICAO public health related Standards and Recommended Practices and the WHO International Health Regulations; and
- improve preparedness planning and rapid response to public health emergencies that might affect the aviation sector.
- Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Office, would hold a stakeholder workshop on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on 03 April 2023 and a back-to- back training on Intellectual Property on 04 and 05 April 2023. The aim of the workshop would be to assist the Industrial Property Office of Mauritius in implementation of the PCT- related provisions in the Industrial Property Act.
- Cabinet has taken note of the arrangements being made by the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, for the anti-influenza vaccination exercise for the year 2023. Vaccines would be provided to elderly persons aged 60 and above, children with disabilities attending specialised schools and all inmates of charitable institutions and private licensed homes. The vaccination exercise would start on 05 April 2023 and end on 03 May 2023 in Mauritius. The exercise would also be extended to Rodrigues and Agalega.
- Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing in Mauritius. As at 29 March 2023, there were 28 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 10 patients were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period of 23 to 29 March 2023 there was no death attributed to COVID-19.
- Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity would be recognised as a partner to the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) at the 16th Global Conference on Ageing to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 27 to 30 June 2023, by sharing the Ministry’s hyperlink (https://socialsecurity.govmu.org) on the IFA Conference
The IFA’s 16ᵗʰ Global Conference on Ageing would be a colloquium providing a unique opportunity to diverse stakeholders around the world to share and learn from leaders in the field of aging, nurturing leadership, hearing diverse voices and creating space for meaningful engagement.
- Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade where he participated in the SADC Council of Ministers held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the main issues raised by the Minister were:
- assistance to Malawi following the passage of cyclone Freddy;
- food security;
- SADC Pooled Procurement Services for pharmaceuticals and medical commodities; and
- sustainable Regional Power Sector Development and Proposal on Establishment of a Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility.
In the margins of the Council of Ministers Meeting, the Minister also met the Minister of Regional Integration and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of Congo and discussed the need for a Joint Commission and a general Framework Agreement to foster cooperation in several areas such as trade, agriculture, textiles, minerals, education and taxation, amongst others.
- Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security where he participated in the Regional Africa Preparatory Meeting for the Food Systems Stocktaking Moment 2023 organised by the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), held in Niamey, Niger. The Meeting served as a platform for sharing experiences and good practices towards the implementation of National Pathways on Transformation of Food Systems.
- Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security where he participated in the Global Millets Conference held in New This first Global Conference was organised in the context of the International Year of Millets 2023. It included two International Conferences on Health & Nutrition and on Millets Value Chain. The Prime Minister of the Republic of India inaugurated the Conference.
In the margins of the Conference, the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security participated in:
- a Round Table Group Session with Agriculture Ministers of Guyana, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname and Zambia along with video messages from Egypt and Japan. An overview of efforts being undertaken by India for putting millets on every plate, was made;
- a Ministerial Round Table chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The objective was to raise awareness around the world on this miraculous food and to learn from millet producing countries; and
- a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare where bilateral issues in the field of agriculture and agricultural diversification were discussed.
- Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of the Chagossian Welfare Fund with Mr Louis Olivier Bancoult, OSK, as part-time Chairperson.
