Africa-Press – Mauritius. There is a great potential for the establishment of a regional shipping line in a bid to position Mauritius as the gateway to Africa, stated the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo, at a reception organised on 02 May 2022 in Floréal by the Embassy of Japan in honour of the Executive Vice-President of Mitsui O.
S. K. Lines Ltd (MOL), Mr Tanaka Toshiaki’s visit to Mauritius. The MOL, a Japanese transport company, is one of the largest shipping companies in the world comprising dry cargo ships, liquefied natural gas carriers, Ro-Ro Car Carrier ships, oil tankers, container ships, and container terminals.
The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard; the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano; the Attorney General and Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Sudheer Maudhoo; and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, Mr Shuichiro Kawaguchi, were present.
In his address, Minister Ganoo stated that the visit of Mr Toshiaki comes at an opportune time when Mauritius is embarking on a journey of economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan, he stressed, has significantly contributed to several major projects relating to risk and disaster management, fisheries, and climate change, amongst others.
Mauritius, he said, was privileged to receive a grant of 300 million Japanese Yen from Japan for the acquisition of medical equipment and a loan of 30 billion Japanese Yen to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
He extended his gratitude to the Government of Japan for these initiatives adding that it marks the strengthening of the economic and cultural ties that Mauritius shares with its counterpart.
Minister Ganoo also spoke on the possibility for both countries to reinforce cooperation in logistics and renewable sector. Ambassador Kawaguchi recalled that Mauritius and Japan share a friendly relationship and that future avenues of cooperation between the two countries are underway.
He thanked Mr Toshiaki for his visit to Mauritius and for extending his assistance in major projects. As for his part, Mr Toshiaki dwelt on the activities of the MOL in Mauritius and added that several business opportunities are in the pipeline. A charitable trust by the MOL in Mauritius, he said, has also been established to provide support to local environment and communities in Mauritius.
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