One of the major highlights of the last Cabinet Meeting held on October 30, was announcement made to dismantle the Airport Holdings Ltd (AHL) Group of Companies and the subsequent creation of what is described as two strong operating groups clustered around aviation, led by Air Mauritius Ltd (MK) and Airport Operations, led by Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd (AML).
It will be as follows, namely: Aviation Group: led by MK, covering airline, aviation support, training, ground handling and related activities; and Airport Operations Group: led by AML, covering airport infrastructure, airport operations, Rodrigues airport operations (management only), private jet terminal activities and related services.
However, mention is made that the Airport of Rodrigues Ltd, the Aerodrome Operator of the Plaine Corail Airport, will be directly owned by the Government, on account of its strategic importance and implementation of the new runway project.
The Cabinet chaired by PM, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, also assented to the introduction of the Mauritius Telecom Foundation Bill into the National Assembly. The bill aims to provide for the establishment of the MT Foundation from the year 2027 and, year after year, offer two scholarships, tenable both locally and abroad, to two students, one boy and one girl, to pursue a first degree for a period not exceeding four years.
The main outcomes of the seventh meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Anti-Money Laundering, Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) and the arrangements being put in place for the forthcoming Mutual Evaluation of Mauritius by the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) have also been noted.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee took stock of the progress undertaken as part of the key AML/CFT/CPF measures and lent a strategic direction on priority actions where the jurisdiction is entering a critical phase of the preparation of the Mutual Evaluation exercise. Moreover, a Pre-Mutual Evaluation Workshop will be held in Mauritius from December 14-18 with the aim of creating awareness among the relevant stakeholders, encompassing Competent Authorities and the private sector, of the requirements of the Mutual Evaluation Process and their respective responsibilities throughout the assessment.
The Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation took part in the annual flagship conference, the Global AI and Digital Summit organised by the World Bank Group in Seoul, Korea. Engagements helped tap into opportunities to support the AI and digital transformation agenda, which includes exploring government AI use cases, AI academy through Smart Africa or Coursera and receiving assistance for the formulation of an AI Act. It also included the possibility to set up an AI Knowledge Centre for Africa on the island.
The Cabinet also took note of the recent visit of Meta representatives to the island during early October, considered to be an important step towards online safety. The working sessions centered on practical measures to help address online harms, protect users and improve cooperation with relevant authorities, while at the same time, respecting the constitutional rights, privacy, freedom of expression and the rule of law.
