2024 UN Country Annual Results Report Mauritius

It is my pleasure to present the Annual Results Report of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Mauritius for 2024. The report highlights the key results and achievements of the 24 United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, acting in collaboration with national stakeholders to address national development priorities and achieve progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for an inclusive, resilient and prosperous future for all Mauritians.

2024 was significant in many ways: it was the inaugural implementation year of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024–2028. It also marked the new decade of action for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which are at the forefront of the global climate emergency. The fourth International Conference on SIDS launched the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), which defines the priorities of SIDS for the next 10 years to include climate resilience, economic diversification, human capital and the acceleration of digitalization, science, technology and innovation and the global frameworks, partnerships, monitoring and financing required. Similarly, the Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future in September 2024, underscored the importance of multilateral action in addressing global challenges with attention to the increased vulnerability of SIDS countries. These frameworks provide programmatic and operational guidance to the United Nations and development partners towards concrete broad-based actions that improve sustainable institutional effectiveness, systems thinking, policy innovation and partnerships for results.

Specifically, the contributions of the United Nations in 2024 have been clustered around three pillars: People, Planet and Prosperity. Under the People Pillar, the emphasis was on strengthening policies and institutional capacities to include the development of three national health policies. These measures reinforced the delivery of integrated, high-quality and accessible health services addressing sexual and reproductive health, as well as communicable and non-communicable diseases. The Prosperity Pillar puts focus on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, private sector engagement, enhancing food security, promoting decent work and advancing a resilient blue, green, circular and digital economy. These efforts created economic opportunities for young people, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Over 100 small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were empowered to capitalize on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), driving economic growth. The Planet Pillar focused on helping Mauritius to transition towards gender-sensitive renewable energy and circular economy pathways, tackle plastic pollution and strengthen resilience to natural disasters and climate change. Maritime security remained a high priority, with United Nations support for strengthened cooperation on maritime law enforcement within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Looking ahead to 2025, the priority for the UNCT will be to accompany the implementation of the Government’s new Programme (2025–2029) via the UNSDCF. We are pleased to note the strong alignment between the two strategic documents with emphasis on consolidating development gains, managing and mitigating risks, investing in human capital and fostering innovation and shared prosperity for all. Multilaterism remains a core pathway to supporting the acceleration of the regional integration agenda as envisaged in AfCFTA, international agreements such as the Pact for the Future and the ABAS. Partnerships and collective national and regional actions in addressing complex challenges with the public and private sectors, civil society, academia, development partners and regional entities will ensure that we capitalize on our strengths, resources and expertise and together provide a strong foundation for a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous Mauritius where no one is left behind.

Ms. Lisa Simrique Singh

UN Resident Coordinator

for Mauritius & Seychelles