Signing and Exchange of Notes concerning the Grant Assistance to the Republic of Mauritius

On 14th of March 2025, Mr Kan Masahiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Mauritius and Mr Anandsing Acharuz, Acting Financial Secretary, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Mauritius exchanged the notes in Port Louis, concerning the Grant Assistance “Economic and Social Development Programme” of one billion Japanese Yen that aims to strengthen maritime response capacity of the Republic of Mauritius.

\Mauritius is surrounded by waters where vessels from various countries, including Japan, pass through. Despite the frequent occurrence of stranding accidents, the lack of tugboats in the country for towing stranded vessels, tackling ship fires, oil spills and other maritime accidents has been an issue.

This grant enables the provision of one tugboat and related equipment manufactured in Japan to the Republic of Mauritius. This cooperation is expected to contribute to the existing and future expansion of international trade through ensuring stable maritime transport in Mauritius. It is also expected to further enhance the country’s ability to respond to maritime accidents along its coast, thus contributing to Mauritius’s economic and social development.

Following the oil spill incident that occurred off the coast of Mauritius in August 2020, Japan has expressed its support for resolving the issue of ensuring the safety of navigation in Mauritius’s territorial waters, and this grant is part of that cooperation. In addition, at the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) held in August 2022, Japan expressed its commitment to promote efforts related to maritime security, and this cooperation will embody this declaration.