Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth inaugurated the Mushishito-Rukarara V Hydropower Plant in Nyagamabe, Rwanda this Sunday 26 June 2022. The inauguration ceremony was attended by his Rwandan counterpart, Dr Edouard Ngirente, and the Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure, Dr Ernest Nsabimana.
The Mushishito-Rukarara V Hydropower Plant is a project of Omnihydro, a subsidiary of the Mauritian group Omnicane.
The Prime Minister welcomed the Mauritius-Rwanda cooperation in clean energy production. “I am happy that Mauritius and Rwanda share the same vision of people-centred development, the very hallmark of a caring government,” he said.
He recalled that CHOGM 2022 has placed a lot of emphasis on climate change and clean and sustainable energy. These issues, said the Prime Minister, are of great importance to both our countries in the context of the global energy crisis.
“We believe that the energy transition holds the key to the global energy problem and climate change. High fossil fuel prices and the climate emergency underline the urgent need to switch to clean energy as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister reiterated his call for more climate finance and innovative green technologies through international cooperation to support the energy transition in our countries. Clean energy is an issue of sustainable development and climate change mitigation, he said.
“Mauritius and Rwanda share the same commitment and we are both determined to facilitate and provide access to clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy for our people, including sustainable electricity through traditional and creative methods,” he says.
“African countries must meet the growing demand for energy and extend modern energy services to more communities while improving the health of the people and ensuring sustainable development,” the Prime Minister continued.
He stressed the contribution of the private sector in this process. In this regard, he commended the Omnicane company for its initiative to build a hydroelectric power plant in Rwanda.
“I would like to warmly congratulate Omnicane for this remarkable engineering achievement which will increase the existing electricity generation capacity of a sister country. I must here highlight Omnicane’s contribution to the socio-economic development of our country. Omnicane, a flagship company in Mauritius, has over the years played a key role in the diversification of the sugar sector and the Mauritian economy,” said the Prime Minister.
The Mushishito-Rukarara V Hydropower Plant is one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by a Mauritian company in Africa, the Prime Minister said.
This development opens a new phase of economic partnership between Mauritius and Rwanda. The Prime Minister praised Rwanda’s economic achievements in recent years. “I look forward to seeing more Mauritian companies working with our Rwandan partners to continue to develop innovative projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the Rwandan people,” concluded the Prime Minister.
