Africa-Press – Mauritius. A Consultative Workshop on the United Nations (UN)/Government Joint Initiatives Towards Green Recovery and Long-Term SDG Planning, opened this morning at Le Méridien Hotel, in Pointe aux Piments.
The objective is to take stock of progress towards the implementation of the initiatives and plan future long-term strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, the UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Mrs C. N. Umutoni, and other personalities were present.
The event is an initiative of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, and the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives.
In his address, Minister Gobin spoke about the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of food sufficiency and green economy. He stressed on the need to review and devise new strategies so as to promote the food systems in Mauritius.
He stated that under the Country Partnership Framework, governments and UN agencies work together for a period of five years to address global issues such as climate change, environment and the blue economy.
Mr Gobin recalled that Mauritius signed the framework in 2019 while adding that the five years will soon elapse. The workshop, he said, will enable stakeholders to discuss and work on a new and more integrated recovery framework for the next five years.
The Minister furthermore dwelt on the 17 SDGs and expressed gratitude to the UN for their support and in helping Mauritius achieve these goals. The UN will continue to provide possible technical assistance to support the country in developing an integrated national financing framework to help finance its integrated strategy to realise the SDGs, he said.
For her part, Mrs Umutoni highlighted the emerging development challenges and impacts faced by Mauritius and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. She added that SIDS often lack aid finance to design and implement long-term recovery strategies development.
In order to address these challenges in a coherent multi-sectoral approach with mutually reinforcing objectives, she underlined, that the UN and development partners have come up with initiatives to support nations in dealing with the recovery challenges and in accelerating progress towards the SDGs.
The workshop, she said, will thus enable partners to discuss on Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), work on Green Recovery and strengthen food systems, discuss ways forward to review the current strategic partnership framework, as well as the implementation of the COVID-19 Social Economic Response Plan.
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