SEPTEMBER 2025 - Flipbook - Page 12
NEWS
Capacity Building for Sustainable Development
A four-day capacity-building workshop
on Environmental and Social Safeguards
and Mainstreaming Gender kicked o昀昀
on Tuesday 9 September 2025, at the
Ravenala A琀�tude Hotel in Balaclava. The
workshop is part of the “Implemen琀椀ng
Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical
Development (ISLANDS)” Project and
aims to strengthen the capacity of key
stakeholders in monitoring, reporting
and integra琀椀ng safeguards and gender
considera琀椀ons into project ac琀椀vi琀椀es.
Organised by the Ministry of Environment,
Solid Waste Management and Climate
Change in collabora琀椀on with the United
Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), the event brings together
approximately 40 participants from
various sectors, including ministries,
parastatal bodies, non-governmental
organiza琀椀ons, the UNDP and the private
sector. Its primary goal is to sensi琀椀ze
stakeholders and equip them with
the necessary knowledge and skills to
promote sustainable and socially inclusive
management of hazardous chemicals.
cri琀椀cal challenges faced by Small Island
Developing States in managing hazardous
chemicals sustainably and inclusively,
focusing on Persistent Organic Pollutants,
mercury and other harmful substances.
She emphasized that the project aligns
with Mauritius’s commitments under
international conventions such as
the Basel, Stockholm, and Minamata
Conven琀椀ons.
Mrs Bérenger stressed the importance
of implemen琀椀ng the Environmental and
Social Management Framework and Plan.
She noted that over 40 stakeholders were
consulted to ensure inclusiveness and
transparency in the project’s development.
She also underscored that gender
equality remains central to the ini琀椀a琀椀ve,
recognizing that men and women face
dis琀椀nct but equally serious risks from
chemical exposures. Par琀椀cipants were
encouraged to ac琀椀vely learn from experts,
enhance na琀椀onal skills and systems, and
posi琀椀on Mauri琀椀us as a regional leader
in safe, sustainable hazardous waste
management.
Ms Serumaga emphasized that the
project exemplifies the power of
collabora琀椀on among na琀椀onal ins琀椀tu琀椀ons,
development partners and communi琀椀es
to tackle pressing environmental and
social challenges. She reiterated that
mainstreaming gender equality is not
optional but essential, ensuring both
women and men are equally protected
and empowered to build a safer, more
sustainable future.
The opening ceremony was attended
by the Junior Minister at the Ministry of
Environment, Solid Waste Management
and Climate Change, Mrs Joanna
Marie Bérenger; the UNDP Resident
Representative for Mauritius and
Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga; and
other dis琀椀nguished personali琀椀es.
In her address, Mrs Bérenger highlighted
that the ini琀椀a琀椀ve is supported by UNDP
and 昀椀nanced by the Global Environmental
Facility with a budget of USD 4.5 million.
She explained that the project addresses
Mauri琀椀us Seeks Russian Exper琀椀se to Enhance Road Safety and Tra昀케c Management
The Minister of Land Transport, Mr.
Mahomed Osman Cassam Mahomed,
held a working session with Ms. Irada
Zeynalova, the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the Russian
Federa琀椀on to the Republic of Mauri琀椀us,
in Port Louis on Monday 15 September
2025. The mee琀椀ng was a琀琀ended by senior
o昀케cials from the Ministry and focused
on strategies to enhance Mauritius’s
transport infrastructure.
This engagement follows the Minister’s
recent par琀椀cipa琀椀on in the Interna琀椀onal
Transport Summit 2025 in Russia, which
aims to establish an interna琀椀onal pla琀昀orm
for sharing exper琀椀se on the development
and moderniza琀椀on of transport systems,
including digital innovations. The
Summit’s primary objectives include
fostering collaborative approaches to
urban mobility challenges and improving
the quality of life in ci琀椀es worldwide.
Ambassador Zeynalova described the
discussions as produc琀椀ve, emphasizing
the importance of advancing Mauri琀椀us’s
transport system, with par琀椀cular a琀琀en琀椀on
to road safety and tra昀케c conges琀椀on. She
highlighted the poten琀椀al for collabora琀椀on
on innovative technologies, such as
ar琀椀昀椀cial intelligence, to op琀椀mize tra昀케c
management in Mauri琀椀us.
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Drawing from Moscow’s experience — a
city comparable in size to Mauri琀椀us but
home to over 20 million residents — the
Ambassador shared successful ini琀椀a琀椀ves
that have addressed key transport issues,
including traffic congestion, parking
management and public transporta琀椀on
efficiency. She expressed Russia’s
willingness to share these insights
and adapt successful solu琀椀ons to the
Mauri琀椀an context.
During the Summit, Minister Mahomed
also held bilateral meetings with key
Russian officials, including the First
Deputy Head of the Department of
Transport and Road Infrastructure
Development of Moscow and the Director
of the Department of Digital Development
at the Russian Ministry of Land Transport.
These discussions underscored the
mutual interest in leveraging technological
advancements to improve Mauritius’s
transport infrastructure and urban
mobility.
