France and EU back Mauritius with Rs 6.3 billion for water crisis
The package combines a 100 million euro AFD loan with a 20 million euro EU grant, pending final AFD board approval.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam secured a 120 million euro package, roughly Rs 6.3 billion, during an official visit to Paris, according to a statement published on Tuesday, November 10. The funds are meant to transform drinking water supply in Mauritius.
The package includes a 100 million euro loan from the Agence française de développement and a 20 million euro grant from the European Union. The agreement still requires final validation by the AFD board, which is scheduled for the following week. The money will go to renovating water infrastructure, improving production and distribution, and sharply reducing leaks on the national network.
Ramgoolam also held talks with the AFD director general on future cooperation in waste management, renewable energy and the ecological transition from 2027. He expressed strong gratitude to the AFD, the French government and the European Union for the partnership.
Why it mattersResidents served by the national water network stand to gain from upgraded infrastructure and reduced leaks, as the funding targets those areas directly.