Statement by Hon A.Boolell, Minister of Agro-Industry and Fisheries, Mauritius at the 15th SAARC Summit - Colombo
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I thank you for the opportunity given to me to address the Inaugural Session of the 15th SAARC Summit on the occasion of the accession of Mauritius as Observer to the SAARC family. I bring to the Summit the warm greetings of the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, Dr the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam who is personally unable to be present today due to his prior commitments, but I wish to underscore the fact that the Govermnent and People of Mauritius are proud and delighted to be accepted as Observer in SAARC and I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the members for the support which you have given to Mauritius.
Although Mauritius belongs to the African geo-political region, our population has more commonalities with those of the countries of the SAARC region. Mauritius and SAARC members are bound by deep historical and cultural ties. These ties have strengthened over time with increased linkages and trade flows. The SAARC region and Mauritius share similar strategic interests and also face similar development challenges such as vulnerabilities to climate change, food and energy security crisis as well as the challenges of a liberalized trading environment. Yet we believe we must transform the challenges facing us into opportunities to enhance South South cooperation, encourage transfer of technology and ideas and facilitate investment.
Being a small island economy, regional integration is viewed by us as a logical expansion of the economic space of Mauritius. In this respect, we have been very proactive in promoting the regional integration at the level of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Indian Ocean Rim Association for regional Cooperation (lOR-ARC) and Indian Ocean Commission (lOC). The SADC will officially launch its Free Trade Area this year and COMESA is expected to become a Custom Union at the end of this year. As the first nation belonging to the African Union organization to become an observer of SAARC, Mauritius is convinced that this membership can enhanced our capacity to playa more important role in the area of regional integration and trade promotion.
Mauritius is also strengthening of its relations with its traditional partners. Mauritius initialed an Interim Agreement with the EU on 4 December 2007 pending the conclusion of a full Economic and Partnership Agreement by the end of this year, thereby allowing us to safeguard our interest on most of our products benefiting from duty free quota free access.
Mauritius signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States with the primary objective of promoting trade, investment and cooperation with the US. The TIF A is considered to be a process that will pave the way for a deeper integration between the two countries.
As far as deeper links with individual SAARC members are concerned, Mauritius and Pakistan signed a Preferential Trade Agreement which came into force on 30 November 2007. The Joint Working Group between Mauritius and Pakistan has already started discussions on the Free Trade Agreement (FT A) and has reached an advanced stage in the negotiations in all the sectors under negotiations. In the same vein discussions are ongoing with India to consolidate trade and cooperation between the two nations. By pooling our resources together we shall be better able to withstand the challenges of globalization, and here I would like to point out that the most immediate challenges are to ensure food security for our population, secure alternative source of energy and withstand climatic hazards. Greater cooperation under South-South banner can alleviate the plight of our people by working towards a sustainable strategy in these areas. Though it is tempting to resort to short term solutions, the only viable solution reside in long term measures, namely better access to inputs, technology and increased investment. We are convinced that economic, social and technical cooperation among the countries of SAARC would contribute significantly to national and collective self-reliance. Mauritius is also ready to cooperate with SAARC members in a number of important areas such as poverty alleviation, population stabilization, health, education, women's empowerment, child development and youth mobilization.
The successive waves of population movements during the last three centuries have made Mauritius a unique blend of different races, cultures and religions. Mauritius is one of the oldest and most stable democracies in Africa. The island's most enduring success lies in the entrenchment of a culture of peaceful democratic alternation in power. The electoral system of Mauritius is constituency-based, modelled after the British system. The Constitution is the supreme law of Mauritius and it provides for the protection of fundamental rights and freedom of the individual. Adherence to the principles of human rights has been instrumental in allowing social and political stability.
Our political stability has in turn been a very determining factor in our economic success. In the 1970' s Mauritius had been a monocrop economy dependent on sugar. However, we had the foresight of enacting relevant legislations aimed at attracting investment, including foreign direct investment, in the industrial sector. Hence, it is our political stability which induced many foreign investors to come and invest in Mauritius. At present the economy rests on several pillars, namely agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and financial services. Mauritius is now an upper-middle-income country with a GDP per capita of almost US $ 6000 and the services sector is the most important in terms of contribution to GDP. The sector is dominated by financial services and tourism, which has become the single largest source of foreign exchange earning. With a view to maintaining the economic trajectory of Mauritius on a high growth path, Government is currently implementing an ambitious reform programme aimed at moving the economy from dependence on trade preferences to global competitiveness. The programme is articulated around four main pillars:
• Consolidating fiscal performance and improving public sector efficiency
• Enhancing trade competitiveness
• Improving the investment climate and
• Democratizing the economy through participation, social inclusion and sustainability
SAARC member countries and Mauritius share broad common interests in maintaining peace and stability and promoting common development and prosperity in the world. Our observer status at SAARC will write a new chapter on Mauritius-South Asia relations. Mauritius is ready to make joint effort with all South Asian countries to promote peace and stability in the world and in our region in particular to explore ways of cementing the mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and other fields.
The strategic location of the island and its capacity to provide a wide range of services effectively offers the required platform to link the African continent with the SAARC region which has an immense potential due to the economic weight of individual countries. Enhanced relations between Mauritius and SAARC member nations will provide new business opportunities and Increase investment flows between our respective continents. Indeed, it is in that spirit of solidarity and sense of purpose that we now need to strengthen our economic ties and show to the rest of the world that the region does not intend to be left behind in the new world order.
Being an observer to SAARC will provide Mauritius with a golden opportunity to share our vision for a better future and show our unserving determination to work together in moving our region forward.
I want to conclude by reiterating our thanks and by reassuring you of the unflinching commitment of the Government of Mauritius to the values and principles of SAARC. Mauritius pledges to live up to its responsibility as an observer to this prestigious organization.
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I thank you for the opportunity given to me to address the Inaugural Session of the 15th SAARC Summit on the occasion of the accession of Mauritius as Observer to the SAARC family. I bring to the Summit the warm greetings of the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, Dr the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam who is personally unable to be present today due to his prior commitments, but I wish to underscore the fact that the Govermnent and People of Mauritius are proud and delighted to be accepted as Observer in SAARC and I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the members for the support which you have given to Mauritius.
Although Mauritius belongs to the African geo-political region, our population has more commonalities with those of the countries of the SAARC region. Mauritius and SAARC members are bound by deep historical and cultural ties. These ties have strengthened over time with increased linkages and trade flows. The SAARC region and Mauritius share similar strategic interests and also face similar development challenges such as vulnerabilities to climate change, food and energy security crisis as well as the challenges of a liberalized trading environment. Yet we believe we must transform the challenges facing us into opportunities to enhance South South cooperation, encourage transfer of technology and ideas and facilitate investment.
Being a small island economy, regional integration is viewed by us as a logical expansion of the economic space of Mauritius. In this respect, we have been very proactive in promoting the regional integration at the level of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Indian Ocean Rim Association for regional Cooperation (lOR-ARC) and Indian Ocean Commission (lOC). The SADC will officially launch its Free Trade Area this year and COMESA is expected to become a Custom Union at the end of this year. As the first nation belonging to the African Union organization to become an observer of SAARC, Mauritius is convinced that this membership can enhanced our capacity to playa more important role in the area of regional integration and trade promotion.
Mauritius is also strengthening of its relations with its traditional partners. Mauritius initialed an Interim Agreement with the EU on 4 December 2007 pending the conclusion of a full Economic and Partnership Agreement by the end of this year, thereby allowing us to safeguard our interest on most of our products benefiting from duty free quota free access.
Mauritius signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States with the primary objective of promoting trade, investment and cooperation with the US. The TIF A is considered to be a process that will pave the way for a deeper integration between the two countries.
As far as deeper links with individual SAARC members are concerned, Mauritius and Pakistan signed a Preferential Trade Agreement which came into force on 30 November 2007. The Joint Working Group between Mauritius and Pakistan has already started discussions on the Free Trade Agreement (FT A) and has reached an advanced stage in the negotiations in all the sectors under negotiations. In the same vein discussions are ongoing with India to consolidate trade and cooperation between the two nations. By pooling our resources together we shall be better able to withstand the challenges of globalization, and here I would like to point out that the most immediate challenges are to ensure food security for our population, secure alternative source of energy and withstand climatic hazards. Greater cooperation under South-South banner can alleviate the plight of our people by working towards a sustainable strategy in these areas. Though it is tempting to resort to short term solutions, the only viable solution reside in long term measures, namely better access to inputs, technology and increased investment. We are convinced that economic, social and technical cooperation among the countries of SAARC would contribute significantly to national and collective self-reliance. Mauritius is also ready to cooperate with SAARC members in a number of important areas such as poverty alleviation, population stabilization, health, education, women's empowerment, child development and youth mobilization.
The successive waves of population movements during the last three centuries have made Mauritius a unique blend of different races, cultures and religions. Mauritius is one of the oldest and most stable democracies in Africa. The island's most enduring success lies in the entrenchment of a culture of peaceful democratic alternation in power. The electoral system of Mauritius is constituency-based, modelled after the British system. The Constitution is the supreme law of Mauritius and it provides for the protection of fundamental rights and freedom of the individual. Adherence to the principles of human rights has been instrumental in allowing social and political stability.
Our political stability has in turn been a very determining factor in our economic success. In the 1970' s Mauritius had been a monocrop economy dependent on sugar. However, we had the foresight of enacting relevant legislations aimed at attracting investment, including foreign direct investment, in the industrial sector. Hence, it is our political stability which induced many foreign investors to come and invest in Mauritius. At present the economy rests on several pillars, namely agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and financial services. Mauritius is now an upper-middle-income country with a GDP per capita of almost US $ 6000 and the services sector is the most important in terms of contribution to GDP. The sector is dominated by financial services and tourism, which has become the single largest source of foreign exchange earning. With a view to maintaining the economic trajectory of Mauritius on a high growth path, Government is currently implementing an ambitious reform programme aimed at moving the economy from dependence on trade preferences to global competitiveness. The programme is articulated around four main pillars:
• Consolidating fiscal performance and improving public sector efficiency
• Enhancing trade competitiveness
• Improving the investment climate and
• Democratizing the economy through participation, social inclusion and sustainability
SAARC member countries and Mauritius share broad common interests in maintaining peace and stability and promoting common development and prosperity in the world. Our observer status at SAARC will write a new chapter on Mauritius-South Asia relations. Mauritius is ready to make joint effort with all South Asian countries to promote peace and stability in the world and in our region in particular to explore ways of cementing the mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and other fields.
The strategic location of the island and its capacity to provide a wide range of services effectively offers the required platform to link the African continent with the SAARC region which has an immense potential due to the economic weight of individual countries. Enhanced relations between Mauritius and SAARC member nations will provide new business opportunities and Increase investment flows between our respective continents. Indeed, it is in that spirit of solidarity and sense of purpose that we now need to strengthen our economic ties and show to the rest of the world that the region does not intend to be left behind in the new world order.
Being an observer to SAARC will provide Mauritius with a golden opportunity to share our vision for a better future and show our unserving determination to work together in moving our region forward.
I want to conclude by reiterating our thanks and by reassuring you of the unflinching commitment of the Government of Mauritius to the values and principles of SAARC. Mauritius pledges to live up to its responsibility as an observer to this prestigious organization.