Fourth Political Dialogue between EU and Mauritius

The Fourth Political Dialogue between the European Union (EU) and Mauritius opened this week at the Maritim Hotel in Balaclava. In his address, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Etienne Sinatambou, highlighted the good relations that Mauritius share with the EU. Minister Sinatambou recalled that the Political Dialogue is provided for under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement signed between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States in 2000. The aim of the dialogue is to exchange information, foster mutual understanding and facilitate the establishment of agreed priorities and shared agenda. The EU is the most important development partner for Mauritius and the only one providing direct budgetary support. The EU remains the most important market for Mauritius, accounting for approximately 70% of the country’s export and access to the EU market remains a priority for the Government. Among the current challenges that are being faced by Mauritius is the blacklisting of Mauritius by some EU countries as a non-cooperative tax jurisdiction; the difficulties in the negotiations on full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region, to which Mauritius belongs; the decision of the EU to abolish sugar quotas by 2017; and the negative impact of the extension of Autonomous Tariff Rate Quota to non-ACP countries for certain fisheries products for the period 2016-2018 on tuna loins exported to the EU. The Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU delegation, Mrs Marjaana Sall, highlighted that Mauritius has been one of the countries which have benefited most from the EU-ACP cooperation and the EU has been closely associated to the development and diversification of the economy of Mauritius. In the recent years, the EU has been providing significant budget support in favour of the economic and social reform programme. Mrs Marjaana Sall further stated that the EU welcomes the ambition of Mauritius to evolve from the current upper middle income country status to a high income country. She added that the EU stands ready to assist the Government in achieving this vision with various interventions such as bilateral support under the 11th European Development Fund with focus on tertiary education and research and innovation in line with the Government priorities to improve the human capital base in the country, and contribute to unlock growth. The Political Dialogue regroups the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU delegation, Mrs Marjaana Sall, and other resident and non-resident Ambassadors as well the following ministers: the Minister of Ocean economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands, Prem Koonjoo; the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mahen Seeruttun, the Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms, Roshi Bhadain; and the Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Disaster and Beach Management, Raj Dayal.