It is my honour to join the People of Mauritius, Africa and the World in celebrating the Africa Freedom Day. The day marks a momentous occasion that celebrates the triumph of liberty and independence across the African continent. It is a day that echoes the resilient spirit of our ancestors who fought tirelessly for the emancipation of our people from colonial rule and oppression. Africa Freedom Day is not merely a celebration of the past, it is also a call to action for the present and the future. It reminds us of the ongoing challenges that continue to confront our continent, from poverty and inequality to conflict and corruption.
The African Union’s 2063 Agenda is not only the continent's aspirations for the future but also identifies means and ways to boost Africa's economic growth and development that can lead to the rapid transformation of the continent. Within this Agenda, COMESA positions itself as a development mechanism contributing to trade promotion, facilitating creation of an investment climate and supporting participation of youth and women. At 30 years of existence this year, COMESA’s total exports to the world significantly increased by 15% standing at US$ 205 billion in 2022 while intra COMESA exports currently stand at US$14 billion. This growth is testament to the diversification policies that our Member States have implemented and the inclusion of women and youth in the development process. COMESA is also actively participating in expanding the FTA to include EAC and SADC (Tripartite) as building blocs to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). COMESA takes its catalytic role seriously enabling capacity building, undertaking technical studies in areas such as Energy, ICT, Migration and Statistics.
Over the years, COMESA has worked with particular emphasis on institution building, stakeholder participation and making a positive impact of its programmes on regional integration. Currently at 21 Member States, COMESA’s Strategic focus is to among others, build the regions productive capacity to deliver increased incomes, energy and food security, and connectivity through ICTs, Rail and Aviation sectors. The objective is to lower the cost of doing business, support growth of the business community and enable production of locally produced goods having a high level of “local content”.
Industrialisation is in this case a key strategic focus area that Member States are prioritising. On the other hand, the current climate conditions have dealt a blow to rain patterns leading to drought in most of Southern Africa, it is against this background that a call is being made to switch from heavy dependence on hydro power to solar so as to power the industrialisation agenda. This switch will require capacity building and capital injections, nevertheless, both the private and public sectors will have to collectively come together to solve this challenge.
The long-standing partnership between the Government of the Republic of Mauritius and COMESA dates to the time of the PTA, the forerunner of COMESA. Mauritius ratified the Treaty of PTA in November 1982 and the Treaty of COMESA in October 1994. Since then, COMESA has provided its unequivocal support to Mauritius to its efforts geared towards social and economic transformation of the country. As an upper middle-income island nation with the most competitive, stable, and successful economies in Africa, Mauritius has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) approximately of USD 13 billion and per capita GDP of over USD 11,000. Mauritius aims to join the league of high-income countries before 2030 by fully exploiting the country’s resources, political stability, and strategic location between Africa and Asia. COMESA is committed and is working together with the public and private sectors to support the deliver on the country’s vision 2030 to be innovative and globally competitive.
To conclude, Africa Freedom Day serves as a powerful reminder of our shared history, our common struggles, and our collective aspirations for a better tomorrow. Let us honor the sacrifices of those who came before us by striving to create a continent that is truly free, prosperous, and at peace. Further, as we celebrate our hard-won freedom, let us also recommit ourselves to the ideals of democracy, justice, and equality. Let us work together to build a brighter future for all Africans, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.
Long Live Africa!
Long Live Mauritius!
Long Live COMESA!
