After participating in the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, went to London where he continued his mission. There were many meetings of a diplomatic nature and investment prospecting, among others.
Mr. Pravind Jugnauth also discussed economic cooperation at the level of the British government. In Glasgow, he had exchanges with Mrs. Elizabeth Truss, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. Mauritius is seeking British input in the areas of renewable energy, cyber security, waste management and pharmaceuticals.
Mauritius and the UK are also keen to further develop their trade. Mauritius is also counting on Britain’s support to modernize its financial centre.
The Prime Minister participated in meetings under the auspices of the Economic Development Board (EDB) with a view to promoting Mauritius as a competitive and attractive business, finance and manufacturing centre for British companies.
On Friday, November 5, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth met with the Managing Director of Curzon Investments Ltd, Mr. Martin Brage. He expressed the interest of the investment company to establish itself in Mauritius, with, in particular, the development of a Smart City at Le Bouchon in the south of the island.
This vast project will require investments of around Rs 14.4 billion and will include, among other things, a four-star hotel with 200 rooms, a shopping center, offices and sports facilities.
In addition to the Le Bouchon Smart City project, the Curzon group wants to explore opportunities in tourism, green energy, smart technologies and research and development.
The Prime Minister also had discussions with Mr. Denis Sverdlov, the founder and CEO of Arrival Ltd, a manufacturer of electric vehicles. He spoke of his company’s intention to set up a micro-factory in Mauritius to produce vehicles.
The Prime Minister recalled the government’s policy to encourage the use of electric cars and Mauritius’ commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.
The Chagos issue is also part of the Prime Minister’s agenda during this trip to the UK. The issue was discussed between Mr. Pravind Jugnauth and his British counterpart, Mr. Boris Johnson, and also with Mrs. Elizabeth Truss in Glasgow.
In London, the Prime Minister had a working session with Professor Phillipe Sands, QC, of Matrix Chambers, the law firm that represents the Mauritian state in legal actions to claim sovereignty over the archipelago.
