HIGHLIGHTS OF CABINET MEETING – FRIDAY 03 DECEMBER 2021…
The Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister,
the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The highlights of the deliberations are as follows:
- Cabinet has taken note that the Housing and Population Census would be carried out next year.
In this connection, the Housing Census would be carried out from 31 January to 19 June 2022
and the Population Census from 20 June to 31 July 2022, in respect of all persons alive in the
Republic of Mauritius at midnight on the night of 03 to 04 July 2022. Cabinet has also taken
note of the arrangements being made to conduct that exercise. - Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development
would amend the First Schedule to the Freeport Act, by promulgating the Freeport (Amendment
of Schedule) (No. 2) Regulations 2021. The amendment would provide for the inclusion of a
new Freeport Zone of an extent of eleven thousand three hundred and ninety-six square metres
(11,396m2
). The Freeport Zone project would comprise the construction, development and
management of warehousing facilities and office space.
- Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development
would promulgate the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (Federal Republic of Germany)
(Amendment) Regulations 2021. On 29 October 2021, a Protocol to amend the Double
Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Mauritius and the Federal Republic of Germany was
signed, with a view to complying with the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project
recommendations. - Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Health and Wellness would make the Pharmacy
Council (Code of Practice) Regulations 2021. The Regulations embody the Code of Practice
which has been prepared by the Pharmacy Council and which enshrines the principles and
ethical standards which govern pharmacists in the practice of their profession, with a view to
improving the health-related quality of life of patients.
The Regulations provide, inter alia,:
(a) for the provision of standards of professional practice and professional responsibility
that every registered pharmacist shall provide based on his qualification and expertise;
(b) that every wholesale pharmacist shall supply pharmaceutical products with an affixed
price to licensed pharmacies. In addition, no registered pharmacist shall sell
pharmaceutical products above the affixed retail price or at a price that may lead to
unfair competition vis-à-vis other pharmacists;
(c) for patient privacy and confidentiality; and
(d) for the prevention of abuse of professional privileges and skills.
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- Cabinet has agreed to the Consumer Protection (Control of Imports) Regulations 2017 being
amended through the promulgation of the Consumer Protection (Control of Imports)
(Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2021 so as to include child restraint devices, commonly
referred to as baby car seats, as a restricted good, in order to control its conformity to standards
and maximise the safety and security of children travelling in vehicles.
Under the amended Regulations, importers will have to produce a certificate of conformity
attesting compliance with the specifications of, either Regulation No. 44 of the Economic
Commission for Europe of the United Nations – Uniform provisions concerning the approval of
restraining devices for child occupants of power-driven vehicles or the newer Regulation No.
129 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations – Uniform provisions
concerning the approval of enhanced Child Restraint Systems used on board of motor vehicles.
The Regulations would come into operation in May 2022. - Cabinet has agreed to arrangements being made for the proclamation of the Children’s Act
2020, the Child Sex Offender Register Act 2020 and the Children’s Court Act 2020 on 14
December 2021. - Cabinet has taken note that officers of the Civil Status Division would be allowed to officiate
civil marriages between non-citizens on board cruise ships and catamarans subject to specific
conditions being complied with. - Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the
Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity and the Ministry of
Community Development of the United Arab Emirates on Care for the Elderly and Protection
of People of Determination “Persons with Disabilities.” The objectives of the MoU would be
to, inter alia,:
(a) establish a framework for cooperation in the areas of provision of care for the elderly
and protection of people of determination “Persons with Disabilities” between the
Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity and the Ministry
of Community Development of the United Arab Emirates;
(b) facilitate exchange of information and documents related to the provision of care of the
elderly and protection of People of Determination “Persons with Disabilities”; and
(c) sharing of experience and development of virtual cooperative development programmes
in the field of autism. - Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the
South African Bureau of Standards and the Mauritius Standards Bureau. The aim of this MoU
is to establish cooperation in respect of development, promotion and maintenance of
standardisation and quality in connection with commodities. The parties would be called upon
to work in a practical strategic and symbolic alliance to enhance integrated trade and
standardisation activities in their respective jurisdictions and internationally, especially in
relation to the African continent.
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- Cabinet has agreed to the participation of Mauritius in the European Union’s Horizon Europe
Call, Tackling Outbreaks of Plant Pests Project, in respect of which an application for funding
would be submitted to the European Union through the University of Giessen, Germany. The
objectives of the project are to develop a strategic, species-tailored containment and elimination
plan to address outbreaks of two invasive and highly polyphagous fruit flies, Bactrocera
dorsalis, which is the main fruit fly species locally, and B. zonata, by developing highly
sensitive interception methods, characterizing main invasion facilitators and providing tools for
enhanced Sterile Insect Technique programmes to rapidly respond to invasions or outbreak
events. - Cabinet has taken note of the findings and recommendations of the Fourth Integrated Biological
and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBS) among Female Sex Workers which was carried
out in Mauritius from November to December 2020. The main objective of the IBBS survey is
to provide information on the prevalence of HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis among
the key populations. The report will be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Health and
Wellness. - Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the 6th Round of Technical Negotiations between the
European Union (EU) and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA 5-Comoros, Madagascar,
Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe) on the deepening of the interim Economic Partnership
Agreement (iEPA), held virtually from 22 to 26 November 2021. The technical negotiations
were co-chaired by Mr Rammos Thanos from the Trade Directorate General, EU Commission
and the Director, International Trade Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional
Integration and International Trade for the ESA 5. Negotiations were held in parallel sessions
on eight issues, namely, Agriculture, Economic Development Cooperation/Means of
Implementation, Intellectual Property Rights, Transparency in Public Procurement, Technical
Barriers to Trade, Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures, Rules of Origin and Trade and
Sustainable Development. - Cabinet has taken note of the comments made by the Human Rights Committee in respect of
the Follow-up Report to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Human
Rights Committee examined the Follow-up Report to the Concluding Observations during its
133rd session held from 11 October to 05 November 2021 and has recently communicated its
assessment. In this context the relevant Ministries/Departments would take necessary remedial
measures as appropriate or initiate policy decisions thereon. - Cabinet has taken note of the temporary closure of the Ring Road as from the last roundabout,
the left of which leads towards the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, as
from Monday 06 December 2021. - Cabinet has taken note of the activities which would be organised by the Human Rights
Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in the
context of the International Human Rights Day 2021, under the theme “Equality – Reducing
inequalities and advancing human rights”.
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- Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Extraordinary Council of Ministers of the Indian
Ocean Commission (IOC) which was recently held in Reunion Island and wherein the Minister
of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and
International Trade participated. The issues discussed at the Extraordinary Council of Ministers
were, inter alia, as follows:
(i) the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has provided an additional funding of
€1.8M through the IOC SEGA One Health Programme for the provision of medical
equipment to IOC members including Mauritius. Mauritius would also benefit from a
new technology, namely, RUNCOV, which has been developed by the Centre de
Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement for the
detection of the various variants of COVID-19;
(ii) Post COVID Economic Recovery Plan – A regional plan is being elaborated by the IOC
for the economic recovery of its Member States;
(iii) the activities being undertaken under the Maritime Security (MASE) Programme;
(iv) Climate Change – The Hydromet (Hydrology and Meteorology) is the first programme
of the IOC to benefit from the Green Climate Fund (€52.8M). The EU and AFD are
providing additional funding to the tune of €5.6M and €5M respectively. The objective
of this programme is to reinforce the capacity of the hydrology and meteorology
services of the IOC countries; and
(v) Food Security – The EU is funding a programme on food security to the tune of €16M. - Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Minister of
Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change in a virtual meeting of the Heads
of Delegation of the tenth meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP10) to the Nairobi
Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal
Environment of the Western Indian Ocean Region.
The Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and
Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean Region, to which Mauritius is a contracting
party, came into force in 1996. The Convention aims at addressing the accelerating degradation
of the ocean and coastal areas in the Western Indian Ocean region through the sustainable
management and use of the marine and coastal environment. - Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world.
Some 263.8 million cases have been reported globally, of which 238.2 million persons have
been successfully treated.
With regard to Mauritius, as at 02 December 2021, there were 979 active cases of COVID-19,
out of which 29 were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period
25 November to 01 December 2021, 119 deaths were attributed to COVID-19.
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Cabinet has further taken note of progress in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including
the administration of the booster dose in the Republic of Mauritius. As at 02 December 2021,
928,983 persons had received a first dose of vaccine (representing 73.4 percent of the
population). 895,815 persons were fully vaccinated (representing 70.8 percent of the
population). 112,083 persons had received a booster dose.
- Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Finance,
Economic Planning and Development to Paris and London. During his mission, the Minister of
Finance, Economic Planning and Development had meetings with, inter alia, the Executive
Team of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, representatives of
Mouvement des Entreprises de France, eminent personalities including Mr Robert Ophèle,
Chairman of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, Mr Jean Pisani-Ferry, Economist, as well as
Mrs Natacha Valla, Dean of Sciences Po Paris School of Innovation, Senior Executives of
Moody’s and UK Export Finance. The various topics discussed during the meetings included
Global Minimum Tax, potential areas of cooperation and investment, among others. - Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Social
Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates in the context of Expo 2020 Dubai.
During her mission, the Minister had the opportunity to speak during a session at the Women’s
Pavilion. The Minister also met various Ministers and personalities from the UAE, with whom
avenues of cooperation in the field of welfare of elderly persons and persons with disabilities
including persons suffering from autism, were discussed. - Cabinet has taken note that Honourable Mrs Marie-Celine Zialor, Minister of Youth, Sports and
Family of Seychelles, would lead a four-member delegation to Mauritius from 08 to 11
December 2021, in her capacity as President of the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de
l’Océan Indien.
The programme of visit of Honourable Mrs Zialor includes, inter alia, a courtesy call on the
Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation and working sessions with relevant
stakeholders. - Cabinet has taken note that the President of the Republic of Mauritius has assented to the
Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, which was passed in the National Assembly on 26
November 2021. Same has entered into operation on 29 November 2021. - Cabinet has taken note of the re-election of Mr Marday Venkatasamy, GOSK, as Chairperson
of the COMESA Business Council, for a period of two years.
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- Cabinet has taken note that the President of the Republic has appointed
Mr Joseph E. Charles Cartier as Chairperson of the Statistics Board, for a period of three years
with effect from 02 December 2021, pursuant to section 23(2) of the Statistics Act.
Note: Cabinet decisions are available on the internet. The address is http://pmo.govmu.org
Government Information Service
Prime Minister’s Office
03 December 2021 Port Louis
Posted by Minority Voice
on Dec 5 2021. Filed under Uncategorized.
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