The Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Mrs Louise Mushikiwabo, attended an inter-ministerial working session chaired by the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo, on Thursday 08 September 2022, at the Maritim Resort & Spa, Balaclava.
The following Ministers participated in the working session: Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun; Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo; Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano; Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Darsanand Balgobin; Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Sudheer Maudhoo; Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah; and Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck.
The working session focused on the need for greater synergy between the OIF and the Commonwealth for the establishment of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for SIDS which measures vulnerability solely based on GDP per capita. The Secretary-General supported the proposal and stated that the OIF representation in New York will follow up on this in the context of the ongoing United Nations deliberations on the Index.
The Ministers raised issues of interest to their respective Ministry and for which the support of the OIF was solicited. Consequently, Mrs Mushikiwabo stated that her Office will establish a Mauritius-OIF dossier to follow up on the issues raised during the exchange. She also added that in many areas, the OIF cooperation programme can be engaged for an early supportive action whilst in others the OIF secretariat will engage with OIF institutions which provide targeted assistance.
It is recalled that the OIF Secretary General was accompanied by a high-level delegation on her official visit to Mauritius from 07 to 10 September 2022. Her visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Mauritius and the OIF as well as enhancing international visibility of the country as an active player for greater multilateralism against the background of a series of global crises which disproportionately affect SIDS.
