Tuesday marks the return of Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth to the country after several missions to Rwanda. He attended the 26th Commonwealth Heads of State Summit, inaugurated the Omni-hydro Limited hydroelectric plant in Kigali and laid wreaths at the Kigali genocide memorial. He took the opportunity to discuss the Chagos issue with his counterparts and other Presidents of Commonwealth member states.
PM motivates Mauritian companies to go to Africa
At the Omni-hydro Power Plant, Pravind Jugnauth explained that “Mauritius and Rwanda share the same vision and commitment. We are equally determined to provide sustainable energy to our respective populations through traditional channels, involving on-grid and off-grid components. The Prime Minister made it clear that renewable energy is the solution to climate change. He also congratulated the company Omnicane, for the realisation of this project and expressed his wish that other Mauritian companies follow the step of economic partnership between the two most business-friendly countries of the continent.
On the other hand, the head of government commented on his meeting with the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. In this regard, he said that he had a one-on-one meeting with the latter. “We reviewed our bilateral relations and talked about several topics of cooperation. With the investment of Omnicane in Rwanda, we will see the other sectors that will have the opportunity for Mauritian entrepreneurs in this country. We also reiterated our offer to host some Rwandan students who would like to study in Mauritius because we offer a number of scholarships for students from continental African countries. This also demonstrates the collaboration we wish to bring in the field of education in order to develop the skills of young people and help them to have a more promising future,” he explained.
Chagos Case
Currently the case of the delimitation of maritime waters between Mauritius and the Maldives is before the Tribunal of the Sea. In a statement to the press, our Prime Minister announced that he had spoken to the President of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on the subject, appealing to him to “put himself on the right side of history”. He also asked him to support Mauritius.
“It was an opportunity to discuss with the other heads of state several issues of common interest. Issues that directly concern Mauritius but also Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, India, Pakistan, England, Canada and the Maldives among others. During this meeting with the President of the Maldives, it was important to take stock of the delimitation case and to explain to him our position on the merits of our claims to sovereignty over the Chagos. We took stock of the Chagos issue, loud and clear,” he said, suggesting that “I am very happy that the other heads of state have become aware of the issue.. In addition, the head of government spoke of his meeting with the Prime Minister of England, Boris Johnson, which was mainly focused on the issue of Chagos.
