SPEECH OF

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

SIR ANEROOD JUGNAUTH, GCSK, KCMG, QC,
PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUS
AT THE LAUNCH OF African Ministerial Conference on
Ocean Economy and Climate Change
1-2 SEPTEMBER 2015
*******************

Westin Turtle Bay Resort and Spa

Excellency, Prime Minister of Togo,

Ministers from Mauritania, Mozambique, Zanzibar,
Togo and Madagascar,

The Deputy Prime Minister,

Honourable Ministers,
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The President of the Regional Council of Reunion

Island,

Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic Corps,

The Director General of FAO,
The Senior Regional Adviser of the World Bank,
Members of the National Assembly,
The Governor Bank of Mauritius,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning.
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It gives me great pleasure to address you at this

maiden African Ministerial Conference on Ocean

Economy and Climate Change.

I take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to

the foreign delegates from different countries, all

sharing a common vision the sustainable

development of the Ocean Economy.

I would also like to commend the World Bank for

choosing Mauritius as a prime platform to spearhead
Climate-Smart Ocean Economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Ocean Economy is increasingly being termed as

the new frontier of development and economic
growth in international forums.

Our oceans are home to a wealth of resources. Indeed,

the sustainable development of these resources,

coupled with proper environmental stewardship, has

the potential to ascertain future growth.

According to the World Bank, an estimated

61 percent of the worlds total GNP comes from areas
within 100 kilometres of the coastline. Oceans
provide 16 percent of the global populations animal
protein intake.

The FAO estimates that 10 to 12 percent of the

worlds population, of which more than 90 percent

from developing countries, derive their livelihoods
from fishing and aquaculture related activities.

For more than half of SIDS, tourism generates their

largest source of foreign exchange, accounting for

between 20 and 50 per cent of GDP and over 30 per
cent of employment.

These outline the crucial importance of healthy

oceans and freshwater ecosystems in sustaining

livelihoods, economic growth and ensuring food

security, essentially for developing nations and SIDS.
Oceans are of utmost importance for African
countries, number of which are Small Island
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Developing

States.

Our

countries

are

surrounded by oceans or have long coastlines.

either

However, areas adjacent to the ocean or surrounded

by oceans are critically vulnerable to the impact of

climate change namely, rising sea levels, more

intense and frequent extreme weather conditions,

rising sea temperature and ocean acidification, to

name just a few.

As a Small Island Developing State and proud

member of the African family, Mauritius, since its

independence, has been committed towards the

protection of the environment.

Our recent engagement at the COP 21 conference,

adherence to the UN sustainable development goals,

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and the various major international conventions we

are party to, are clear testimony to our attachment to
sustainable development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we speak of sustainable development, it is

important that we take a strong common position on

Climate Change since Africa bears the biggest brunt

of this phenomenon although contributing the least to
it.

I said it at the TICAD VI Summit during the last

weekend and I repeat it here: there is an urgent need

to ensure that African countries have the required

financial resources and technological know-how so

that appropriate climate change adaptation and
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mitigation measures can be initiated to enable our

countries to best attain our objectives as regards to
sustainable development.

In the same endeavour, I appeal to development

institutions and donor nations to help in devising the
relevant tools and financial structure to help our

nations in sustainably realising the full potentials of

our ocean territories and abiding to our commitments
under Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I affirmed in my Economic Mission Statement
2030, Mauritius is determined to make of the Ocean
Economy a new pillar for wealth creation.
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Mauritius boasts an exclusive economic zone which

is a fifth of the largest Exclusive Economic Zone in

the world. Our maritime zone represents nearly 1% of

the worlds oceans. This represents an enormous

potential. Although a small island state, we are not

only massively investing in our oceanic assets but

also formulating the relevant policies to develop this

sector.

Several key initiatives have been undertaken by my

Government:

1. I have created a Ministry dedicated to the Ocean

Economy;

2. I have instituted a National Ocean Council to

drive the strategy of this sector;

3. The Port Masterplan that will support the

positioning of Mauritius as a major maritime hub

is being finalised;

4. Port extension and reclamation works are under

way;

5. I have set up a Continental Shelf, Maritime

Zones

Administration

and

Exploration

department in my office to develop the offshore

hydrocarbon and minerals sector of Mauritius;

6. Expression of Interest for the exploration of our

vast Exclusive Economic Zone has been
launched; and

7. We are finalising our legislative frameworks for

hydrocarbon

and

mineral
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exploration

and

exploitation based on stringent environmental

norms.

In addition, my Minister of Finance has announced in

the 2016-2017 Budget a series of targeted measures

to consolidate traditional activities, namely artisanal
fishing and industrial fishing, as well as seafood
processing.

Our national budget also caters for strengthening

emerging activities such as aquaculture, bunkering,

and the transformation of Mauritius into a regional

petroleum hub.

We are leaving no stone unturned to exploit and

incentivise new sector of activities including marine

renewable

energies

and
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deep

ocean

water

applications. We are also investing in capacity

building.

However, as a small developing nation and a small

insular state, our current resources do not enable us to

match our ambitions. That is why I highlighted earlier

the need for technical support and financial assistance
from international agencies and partner countries.

This is critical, namely in the development of key

activities earmarked by UNCTAD for developing
coastal nations, namely: -

Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture;

Marine Renewable Energies;
Marine bio-prospecting;

Maritime transport and open ship registration;

and

Sustainable Tourism.
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My Government is and will extend its unfailing

support to investment projects that will forge our
Ocean Economy to new heights of development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I could not agree more with the objective of this
conference which is to technically and financially

unleash a number of priority areas to enhance Africas

capacity to build climate-resilient ocean economies.

However, I wish to stress that we now need realistic

programmes and concrete actions so that we can forge
ahead towards achieving success in developing the
ocean economy.

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I therefore eagerly look forward to the outcome of

your deliberations.

On this note, Ladies and Gentlemen, I declare this

conference open.

I thank you for your kind attention.

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