Several important decisions were taken during the Cabinet Meeting held on August 14, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Navin Ramgoolam and among key takeaways such as 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the State Trading Corporation signing a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd for the long-term supply of White Oil products, among others.
Cabinet took note of the Prime Minister’s travel to South Africa who attended the 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which was hosted and chaired by President of the Republic of South Africa His Excellency Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa.
The theme of the Summit is “Resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World” took place on August 17.
The aim of the summit has a dual purpose, in serving to expand opportunities for businesses in Mauritius while at the same time, buttressing the country’s positioning as a platform for investment, services and connectivity between Africa and the Indian Ocean.
PM Ramgoolam’s participation underscores the importance attached by Mauritius to help boost regional cooperation, deepening economic integration and consolidating relations with SADC Member States.
The State Trading Corporation has received a nod pertaining to inking the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd based on the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) cooperation framework in the Oil and Gas for the long-term supply of White Oil products.
The Cabinet also took note that the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has, on July 30, approved the submission of Mauritius on May 6, 2009 of the Extended Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the region of Rodrigues
The Submission is based on extensive geological, geophysical and geochemical evidence intended to establish the required geological relationship and appurtenance of the area to Mauritius.
The Recommendations of the sub-commission have recognised the island’s entitlement to an extended continental shelf in the Rodrigues region, having outer limits extending over an area of approximately 147,000 km2 deemed as an advance in Mauritius administration of maritime zones.
The Cabinet has also agreed to the adoption and signing of the Amended Protocol on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity and Protected Areas in the Western Indian Ocean Region, commonly known as the Biodiversity Protocol under the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern Indian Ocean region.
The aim of the Amended Protocol, renamed the Biodiversity Protocol, is to strengthen its legal provisions for biodiversity, adhering to existing instruments as well as addressing challenges such as climate change, ocean acidification, marine pollution and invasive species.
The promulgation of the Fisheries (Vessel Monitoring System) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 has been agreed upon to help improve the operational effectiveness of the Vessel Monitoring System as well as to ensure the monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities. The bottom line of the regulations is to help strengthen fisheries compliance and enforcement, in particular to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing in the local seas and the Indian Ocean region.
