Delivering Stronger, UNited for People, Prosperity and Planet

03 April 2024: The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) for Mauritius and Seychelles is having their Annual Retreat entitled “Delivering Stronger, UNited for People, Prosperity and Planet” from the 3rd to the 5th of April of 2024 in Mauritius.  Bringing together UN agencies and their partners – Government, private sector and civil society - to strengthen cooperation and identify opportunities for new collaboration. This Retreat 2024 is a chance for shared learning and for enhancing UNCT collective engagement to streamline and focus efforts towards achieving national development priorities and Agenda 2030. 

During the Opening Ceremony at Maritim Hotel, Balaclava Ms. Lisa Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles highlighted this as a pivotal moment for the UNCT. It marks the first cycle of implementation of the new Cooperation Frameworks for sustainable development signed last year with the governments of each country.  The Resident Coordinator highlighted:

“Given the uniqueness of SIDS, many UN agencies have developed and are developing their SIDS strategy to better address their higher-than-average vulnerabilities to exogenous shocks. We also need to go beyond the small states narrative, for SIDS are more than small islands but large ocean states.”

Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles who joined online underlined:

“Through strategic planning and evidence-based approaches…we have the opportunity to affect change for every Seychellois and Mauritian. The loss and damage fund, the multi-dimensional vulnerability index and the outcomes of the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference are tangible steps that  will supercharge the breakthroughs needed by us to achieve the shared vision of Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind.   By analysing our challenges and successes we pave the way for the strategic implementation of this Cooperation Framework.”

In his opening remarks the Hon. Maneesh Gobin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius and Government of Seychelles emphasized:

“Small Island Nations like Mauritius have unique inherent vulnerabilities which are often overlooked when it comes to resource mobilisation for development.  We need to go beyond the GDP per Capita criteria and rapidly devise a vulnerability index tailored specifically for SIDS which will enable small islands to mobilise the adequate resources needed to address the urgent development challenges and the existential threats posed by climate change. This should be a priority at the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda.”

The panel discussions which are being held during the Retreat with representation from across sectors focus conversation on key headlight issues for each pillar of the Cooperation Framework (People, Prosperity, and Planet). They will provide a platform for strategic dialogue to enhance collaboration across the UNCT to collectively deliver on the commitments made in the Cooperation Frameworks for each country.

With less than ten years left to achieve the SDGs, challenges have been clearly identified, and interventions targeted to maximize effectiveness. To that end, the Retreat 2024 for Mauritius will be forward-looking, aiming to catalyse action that is strategic, succinct, adaptable, and results-oriented and which integrates Leave No One Behind (LNOB) as the core unifying principle.

WHEN: Wednesday 03 April – Opening Ceremony @9:30 am & Friday 05 April – Closing Ceremony @12pm

KEY SPEAKERS: UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius & Seychelles Ms. Lisa Singh; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Hon. Maneesh Gobin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius  and Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles; Mr. Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNECA,  Mr. Yacoub El-Hillo, Regional Director DCO Africa.