Africa-Press – Mauritius. Mauritius has strengthened its position as a maritime power in the Indian Ocean after the United Nations approved, following a 17-year process, an expansion of its maritime zone by 147,000 square kilometers around Rodrigues Island.
This decision grants Mauritius international recognition of additional maritime territory, enhancing its rights and sovereignty over marine resources and the seabed in the region, while opening up long-term economic and scientific prospects.
With the new expansion, Mauritius’ maritime area is now approximately 1,100 times its land area, reinforcing its significance as a maritime nation and placing it among the leading maritime powers in Africa.
The new area of 147,000 square kilometers is added to Mauritius’ exclusive economic zone, which covers about 2.3 million square kilometers, in addition to a maritime zone jointly managed with Seychelles, covering 396,000 square kilometers.
Rizwan Badal, Director of the Continental Shelf Management at the Prime Minister’s Office, stated that the seabed in the new area holds significant mineral potential, considering the decision a “historic step forward” for the country, with its most important impacts likely benefiting future generations.
Badal noted that the new area could contain important mineral resources, including sulfides, cobalt, zinc, and manganese, explaining that these areas are considered oceanic basins that authorities will need to focus on in the upcoming phase.
However, the direct economic benefits from these resources remain distant, as Mauritius must first amend its legislation and establish the necessary administrative frameworks and regulations, alongside ensuring the protection of the marine environment before commencing any exploration or extraction activities.
Authorities view the decision not as a short-term project for resource extraction but as a long-term strategic initiative that could yield benefits in scientific research, maritime governance, and the economy.
The new international recognition enhances Mauritius’ strategic role in the Indian Ocean, making its maritime area a more significant element in its sovereign and economic policies, especially given the potential for scientific research, resource exploration, and future management of marine wealth in the newly designated maritime zones.
