The French Development Agency (FDA) will financially support the “Mauritius Sustainable Island” (MSI) project to the tune of €125 million. Following the signing ceremony, FDA president Pierre-André Wilter said the total loan his organization is giving to the island in 2009 will amount to € 230 million.
He added that apart from financing the MSI project, part of the loan will finance the sewerage system in the northern tourist resort of Grand Bay and the highway which the Mauritian government projects to build in the north in order to alleviate traffic congestion in the capital.
Wilter further stressed that France holds the first place among countries that invest in the island.
Speaking on the MSI project, Wilter declared that, in agreement with the local authorities, the €125 million will be used to finance the exploitation of new energy sources, put in place new environmental norms and create new management facilities at the public service sector to manage these new norms.
Also Wilter declared that the French government is very much interested in financing the MSI project here as Mauritius, among other African countries, is well advanced in sustainable development.
For his part, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Public Infrastructures Rashid Beebeejaun said a regional cooperation will be established concerning the adaptation of country members of the Indian Ocean Commission to the impact of climatic change.
To this effect, Rashid Beebeejaun declared that the FDA is making a gift of €1 million.
And Beebeejaun pointed out that the FDA will finance small and medium enterprises with a sum of €40 million.
The MSI is a project expected to increase the country’s level of energy autonomy by 65 percent in 2028 through the efficient use of energy and the production of energy from a mix of renewable sources, such as the sun, wind, biomass and waves.
Source African Press Agency
