Africa-Press – Mauritius. In the context of the European Union (EU) Beach Clean Up campaign, the National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS) of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, through the EU-funded Ridge to Reef Project, organised, this morning, a coastal forest/mangrove ecosystems restoration event at Mare Sarcelles.
The Attorney-General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, the Ambassador of the EU to the Republic of Mauritius and Seychelles, Mr Vincent Degert, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga, and other personalities participated in the event.
In a statement, Minister Gobin highlighted that this activity forms part of the Ridge to Reef Project, which results from a partnership between the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the European Union, and for which an agreement was signed back in 2020.
The project, he reminded, is financed to the tune of 4 million Euros over a period of five years and aims at restoring and increasing the native forest cover in Mauritius, while promoting and creating awareness on the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Furthermore, the Minister underscored that this activity involves the coastal forest and mangrove ecosystems restoration through the introduction of endemic plants, the clearing of invasive plants as well as removal of any litter present.
He also seized this opportunity to commend all stakeholders present, namely, the EU Delegation, Reef Conservation, Fondation Ressources et Nature, UNDP E€OFISH, Youth Ambassadors, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, and the United States Embassy, among others.
As for Ambassador Degert, he indicated that the EU Beach Clean Up campaign is a worldwide event organised yearly for the past six years in a bid to sensitise people on environment protection as was as the preservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
He also dwelt on the importance of devising strong legislations to better fight plastic pollution, and on the need to adapt our production and consumption habits to the current environmental worldwide situation.
For her part, Ms Serumaga emphasised the importance of putting actions to words and policies and expressed satisfaction of being part of this restoration event.
The UNDP Resident Representative also stressed that trees serve an important purpose in terms of climate change mitigation and adaptation as the world is currently facing a climate and existential crisis.
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