In context of the three-day state visit of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, H.E Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan to Mauritius, the Economic Development Board organized a Breakfast Business Meeting on Tuesday 1st Dec 2020 at Sugar Beach Hotel.

 The event was graced by the presence of a seven-member strong delegation from Seychelles led by H.E Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan and the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr. Renganaden Padayachy. 

The Breakfast Business Meet also saw the participation of key officials of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning & Development, representatives of the Economic Development Board, captains of industry and representatives of the private sector.  The event provided an excellent interactive session between the President of Seychelles and the Mauritian business community.

In his Keynote Address, the President of the Republic of Seychelles H.E. Wavel Ramkalawan commended the contribution of the Mauritian private sector towards the economic success of the country which has consequently positioned Mauritius as an economic powerhouse in the Indian Ocean. 

Moreover, the President underlined that the number of Mauritian firms established in many countries within the Indian Ocean and Eastern and Southern Africa, including Seychelles, bears testimony to the capacities and expertise of Mauritian companies evolving in different sectors of activity.  In this perspective, H.E. Wavel Ramkalawan invited the Mauritian business community to explore the plethora of opportunities available in the blue economy, aquaculture, fishing education, healthcare, ICT and recreation sectors in Seychelles.

President Ramkalawan also extolled Mauritius for its excellent performance and 13th position in the World Bank Doing Business Report 2020.  In this regard, he announced that Seychelles will embark on a series of initiatives to improve its investment and business climate. Furthermore, he underscored that Mauritius has been resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic by virtue of its well-diversified economy which has enabled the country to navigate these exogenous shocks.  The President also expressed his willingness to pursue discussions with the Mauritian Government with a view to take cooperation to between our two nations to new heights. 

Delivering the welcome address, the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning & Development, Dr. The Honourable Renganaden Padayachy underlined that this Breakfast Business Meeting reaffirms the commitment of our two nations to consolidate friendship and trust while strengthening economic and bilateral ties.  He emphasized that Mauritius and Seychelles share a longstanding relationship, built on our multi-faceted proximity. Furthermore, he highlighted that both Mauritius and Seychelles share similarities in terms of the structure of our economies and common interest to stimulate key sectors such as tourism, ocean economy, agro-industry and financial services.  As such, these will further develop and enhance synergies

The Minister of Finance stressed that Mauritius will more than ever, underpin regional cooperation in the current unprecedented economic context through a strengthened Mauritius-Seychelles partnership.

He added that more than 12 large Mauritian companies are currently operating across different sectors in Seychelles. Moreover, he highlighted that trade between Mauritius and Seychelles reached MUR 1.3 billion in 2019.  The Minister of Finance also pointed out that beyond traditional sectors which have sealed economic cooperation between Mauritius & Seychelles, emerging sectors such as the blue economy and technology represent key avenues to be further exploited.

Dr. Padayachy expressed his appreciation for this interactive dialogue with the President of Seychelles and is determined that this will pave the way for enhanced and shared opportunities between our two countries.

The meeting also comprised a series of intervention from the private sector such as the need for better connectivity and coordination, the creation of a Mauritius Desk in Seychelles and recommendations concerning the reduction in Tuna catch volumes.  To that end, H.E. Wavel Ramkalan has pledged to provide unwavering support and facilitate Mauritian investment in Seychelles in view of developing a mutually beneficial venture for both countries.  The President reassured the business community of his determination to accelerate the materialization of projects.

To conclude, the Breakfast Business Meet provided an excellent opportunity for insightful and valuable recommendations from the Mauritian private sector to further bolster economic ties between our two countries.