(period 2001- 2002)
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Governance ‑ Political, Economic & Corporate Peace &
Security,
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Infrastructure (Energy, Water & Sanitation, ICTs)
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Agriculture & Market Access
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Human Resources Development (Health, Education)
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Environment
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Resources Flows
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Others (Specify)
Governance:
Mauritius is a sovereign
democratic state within the Commonwealth with a long tradition of parliamentary
democracy. Its Constitution guarantees to the citizen his fundamental rights‑ right to liberty and protection of the law, freedom of
conscience, freedom of association, of movement and of opinion, freedom of
expression, freedom of creed &ad of religious belief as well as the right
to private property. It establishes clearly the separation of powers between
the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. There is close cooperation
between the government and the private sector through the setting up of bodies
such as the Joint Economic Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the
Export Processing Zone Development Authority to ensure the maintaining of an
appropriate environment for the private sector.
Peace and Security:
Mauritius is deeply
committed to peace and security and has consistently been assessing the legal
framework to ensure such conditions on the Island. In the wake of UNSC resolution 1373, a new legislation,
the prevention of Terrorism Act was enacted to combat the threat of terrorism.
Infrastructure- Energy:
Energy requirements in
Mauritius is derived from coal, oil, hydro‑electric generators as well as
through burning of bagasse. To accommodate the increasing needs of the
population and industry, new plants are being built with more emphasis being
put on the burning of non‑fossil fuels (bagasse and waste incineration)
for the generation of electricity.
Infrastructure – ICT:
The policy of Government
is to push Mauritius forward as an info‑communications hub in the region
and to this effect, an action plan has been put in place to achieve this goal
and it includes the revision of legislation to ensure compatibility with the
commitments ‑undertaken at the WTO; expansion and upgrading of existing
telecommunications infrastructures; provision of the whole community within Mauritius,
Rodrigues and the Outer Islands with access to an affordable universal service;
and spreading the IT culture and increase IT literacy level.
Infrastructure-
Water and
Sanitation:
A number of strategic initiatives have been undertaken to protect mad develop water
resources in Mauritius and
Rodrigues and are Currently being implemented. With regard to Sanitation, the
Mauritius Sewerage Master Plan is currently being implemented. It provides for
a comprehensive national assessment of sewerage needs, setting up of standards
for future provision, outlining plans
for increased connection to
the sewerage network and provision of more treatment plants.
Agriculture & Market
Access:
Mauritius has embarked on
a reform of its sugar sector with the
aim of improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of that sector through such initiatives as the centralizing of
operations, cultivation in fertile regions or early retirement of
non‑productive employees. A reform of the non-sugar sector has also been
put into place.
Human Resource Development‑
Health:
A good and free health
care is provided to all Mauritians. Government is continuously assessing and
improving the health care system in order to provide a better service to the
people.
Human Resources
Development ‑ Education:
Primary education is free
and compulsory in Mauritius, and in 2000 universal primary education was
achieved. Focus has been centered on ensuring that each and every child in
Mauritius gets a decent secondary education and to this effect a Master plan has been produced by the
Ministry of Education to achieve this goal through such policies as the abolition of the ranking system and its
replacement by a grade system for access to secondary education; construction
of 49 additional state secondary schools; regionalization of admission at
secondary level; and transformation of some existing state secondary schools
into Form VI colleges dedicated to prepare students for the Cambridge Higher
School Certificate.
It is to be noted that as
per policy and legal provision, girls
and boys are treated on an
equal basis in terms of access.
Environment:
In 1988, a National
Environmental Action Plan (NEAP I) was prepared in response to the realization
that economic growth in Mauritius could not be sustained without paying
attention to the effects it has on the environment and recommendations were
made for future action. A second plan NEAP II was formulated in 1998 and
besides building on NEAP I, it made provision for the recycling of wastes, the
introduction of an incinerator and the turning into green waste of organic
fertilizers.
Work in all these areas is
being done at the national level and at the regional levels through SADC and
COMESA.
Mr. S.B.C Servansing,
Minister‑Counselor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co‑operation
has been nominated as the personal representative of the Rt. Hon. Prime
Minister for NEPAD. He participates in all the meetings of the NEPAD Extended Steering Committee and
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co‑operation is responsible
for the implementation and dissemination of NEPAD and works closely with all
stakeholders for the implementation of NEPAD.
In addition, strategic
Issues relating to NEFAD is addressed by a National Inter- Ministerial
Committee Chaired by the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Finance. The Committee also comprises representatives of the private sector. The Cabinet to also regularly briefed on all outcomes and
proceedings of NEPAD implementation Committee Meetings and all official
documentation received from the NEPAD Secretariat is circulated to all
stakeholders.
Areas of great success and
difficulties/obstacles in implementing NEPAD
The awareness campaign
with regard to the NEPAD initiative has met with the greatest success
Estimated financial outlay
on NEPAD programmes
There is no specific
outlay for NEPAD, but these programmes are part of the National Development
Programme and provided for annually in the budget
Technical or financial
assistance from African Regional Organizations (AU, ECA, ADB) in implementing
the NEPAD priorities
Mauritius has not received any direct financial assistance. However, at the level of technical assistance, Mauritius has been invited to participate in several seminars, workshops and conferences aiming at capacity- building.
Technical or financial
assistance from bilateral donors or multilateral donors (IMF, World Bank IFC or
other agencies of the UN system) in support of NEPAD
No.
Overall estimated
financial assistance received from donors in support of NEPAD programmes/
projects
No assistance has been
received.
Significance of the
African Peer Review Mechanism to the success of NEPAD
The APRM is a central part
of the NEPAD process, as it would enable the African States to achieve
political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and
accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration. Mauritius has
finalized its procedures to adhere to the APRM.
Success for the NEPAD
initiative can only be achieved with
the full support of the
international community, and especially the G8 and the United Nations. The plan
is at a critical stage and such support would enable Africa to extricate itself
from the scourge of poverty and place it on to the path of sustainable
development and growth.