Speech Hon. Jeetah

Mauritius For Africa Trade Fair

SVICC at 10h00, Pailles

Thursday 08.06.06

Mr Amedee Darga, Chairperson of Enterprise Mauritius,

Mr Lance Wickman, Chief Operating Officer, EM,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me wish you all a very good morning…and thank you for being here today. My warm personal greetings go to all businessmen and businesswomen who have contributed a lot to make this event possible.

For those of you who have traveled a long way, to come and discover the Mauritian Business environment and the business opportunities available here, allow me to wish you a very fruitful stay amongst us. Indeed, your presence here is a matter of great satisfaction for us all. We really feel honored about it.

More so, since my arrival here this morning, I could feel that the business air we breathe today is full of excitement. So, looking at things from this angle, I can safely say that today’s event means a lot for our common future.

At the very start, I need to thank Enterprise Mauritius and its chairperson, Mr Amedee Darga, who is known to many of you sitting here this morning; my sincere thanks also go to the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Lance Wickman, and all the staff of EM. I invite you all to join me and to give the whole team of EM a big applause…I think they deserve this from us. I know they all put in a lot of effort to get things through.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This meeting is the first of its kind organized in Mauritius. I invite all of you to stay focus about the future. This ‘Mauritius For Africa Meeting’ should bear testimony to our common desire to inaugurate and to build a new era of genuine business partnership – both ways I must say…that is between Mauritius and Africa and between Africa and Mauritius.

As business leaders, your role will be determinant to give this partnership substance and a sense of direction. Our initiatives should be backed by nothing less than a long-term commitment to achieve pre-targeted goals.

Before being a minister, I have had the chance to travel and to work in a number of countries within mainland Africa. I can tell you, and from experience, that our beloved African continent has all that this region needs…and for it to grow, as regards its socio-economic development.

We have one big asset. Our people are hard working people; and our people are prepared to work hard to improve their lives. Of course, no one is saying that things would be easy as we embark on this new business adventure. And no one is saying that they would be too difficult either. But I am sure that everybody sitting in this room is determined to make things happen.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our region is hungry for action. We need to stay together; we need to work together; we need to think together; we need to act together and act decisively.

Mauritius, I must tell you, is prepared to work hard with you to make things happen. And I know that all businessmen and businesswomen from the region, and here present, are also determined to work hard in this direction. To go ahead, we will need to share our experience, our knowledge and expertise. Businesswise, mainland Africa, including Mauritius and Madagascar, is a land of opportunities.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This land of ours needs your full contribution, your business strength and business acumen for it to grow economically and socially. As business leaders, you have no right to say no to Africa.

The public and private sector partnership is alive in almost all of our respective countries. This collaboration should be supported by initiatives from both sides, that is from our respective Governments and the private sector.

The success of this business partnership – that this meeting is calling for - will reflect on the positive changes that will take place in our respective countries, in terms of wealth creation, employment opportunities, and socio-economic development generally.

Promotion of human well-being, in terms of quality of life, in our respective societies, is not only the business and the mission of the political establishment. It is also the role of Corporate Africa, if I may say so, to see to it that socio-economic development actually takes place all over the continent.

Our children deserve that from us. We need to give them these chances that would allow them to grow healthily; to be educated correctly and create opportunities that would allow them to fulfill their legitimate human aspirations.

We are meeting here today as one people, and we do share the same vision.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you are all aware, we are meeting at a time when the world trade environment is ever changing. Globalization and free trade are no new words to anyone of you.

But I am happy that Mauritius and Africa and the region share the common belief that the rules for world trade and free trade should be fair, just and acceptable to all. Standing at Trafalgar square, in London, in February 2005, the much revered Nelson Mandela, was right when he spoke, in an appeal to the richest and also the most powerful nations, about “Trade Justice”. He also spoke about poverty, the other word for underdevelopment. And he said – I quote –

“Poverty is not natural. It is man-made. And it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice”. – End quote.

Corporate Africa, as I just said, will have to play a meaningful role to promote socio-economic development, which in turn, helps to promote human well-being.

Nelson Mandela also, and on many occasions, here in Mauritius and abroad, strongly pleaded for regional economic cooperation and integration.

In this regard, I am happy that COMESA and SADC are working hard in this direction. Both SADC and COMESA represent a market of almost 400 million people. Mauritius has imported, over the past four years, an average of Rs 11 billion worth of goods yearly from mainland Africa. And we have exported Rs 3.2 billion of goods to the region last year.

Mauritian businessmen have already set up enterprises in a few countries in the region, like Madagascar, Mozambique. We will also put in place trade contact points in strategic countries like Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Mozambique, whereby strategic information will be disseminated. These initiatives are examples of the commitment of Mauritius and that of Mauritian entrepreneurs to contribute positively in the development process now underway within the region.

I invite all of you to join hands together and work hard to give more meaning and substance to regional economic cooperation and integration. The success of this policy, through SADC and COMESA trade agreements on the one hand, and bilateral agreements, on the other hand, will help countries within this region move faster along the path of socio-economic development.

This ‘Mauritius For Africa Meeting’ has been specially designed for businessmen and businesswomen from Mauritius and the region to be able to see and discover each other…to meet with each other…and in the process, to facilitate business communication among you all.

This event is a big opportunity for us all. It is the right time, for the right men and women, to make the right decision, for the right business. Intra-trade among countries of the region is still low. All opportunities should be explored to reverse this trend.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We want trade and business between Mauritius and Africa and the region, and vice versa, to grow. I know that bureaucratic hurdles are the main impediment for business and investment to prosper.

I assure you that you have no reason to worry. This Government has taken and is determined to take strong and decisive actions to allow business and investment to prosper. I have specifically in mind the issue of licences and permits.

Rest assured that we are not going to allow unnecessary procedures to take root within the public administration system. I say so because bureaucratic hassle, and more often than not, is about the misuse of administrative power to do bad. This, I must emphasize, we are not prepared to accept anymore.

Bureaucrats should understand that the administrative power they have been entrusted with is meant to do good. And not to harm people…not to make them suffer unnecessarily…and not to make of them a mere punching ball for sheer selfish reason, and at times, for unreasonable arguments.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are only on the eve of Budget Day.

I am glad that confidence is back within the industrial sector. The recent take over of Corona activities by a giant Hong Kong base multinational is the latest example. The Rs 8 billion proposed investment within the Fashion Industry during the next three years is commendable. The desire of lots of Mauritians to start up businesses is a good sign of the entrepreneurial culture we want to promote. The initiatives taken by entrepreneurs to go regional and global in terms of business development and expansion and market penetration are also commendable.

Viewed from this perspective, I have reasons to believe that we shall overcome the difficulties ahead during this delicate transitional period, most particularly when trade preferences, including market access and quotas, are being eroded.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I will end with these words…Remember that Action is the only Mandate of this Mauritius for Africa Meeting.

I thank you for your kind attention.