LocationsThe meeting meeting served to discuss the way forward after the launch of the Mauritius SDG Investor Map in December 2023.
UNDP holds private sector engagement meeting on the SDG investor Map in Mauritius
May 19, 2023
From left to right: Mr. Philippe Espitalier-Noël, CEO of Rogers Group and President of the Sustainability and Inclusive Growth Commission of Business Mauritius; Ms. Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative; Dr. Nishaal Gooroochurn, Director and head of Strategic Planning at EDB
UNDP Mauritius and Seychelles/ Jean-Yan Norbert
On May 18, 2023, the UNDP in Mauritius, in collaboration with the Economic Development Board (EDB) and Business Mauritius, co-facilitated a private sector engagement meeting to discuss the way forward after the launch of the Mauritius SDG Investor Map in December 2022.
The SDG Investor Map was developed in partnership with the EDB and had oversight from an inter-agency advisory committee, which included representatives from the public and private sectors. It identified 17 Investment Opportunity Areas (IOAs) across key sectors such as Renewable Resources and Alternative Energy, Infrastructure, Services, Education, Healthcare, and Food and Beverage. The focus after the launch was to develop a strategy and roadmap that would facilitate implementation by attracting private capital and aligning business operations with the SDGs, building on the priorities identified in the SDG Investor Map.
The meeting was co-facilitated by Ms. Amanda Serumaga, the UNDP Resident Representative; Mr. Philippe Espitalier-Noël, the CEO of Rogers Group and President of the Sustainability and Inclusive Growth Commission of Business Mauritius; Mr. Kevin Ramkaloan, CEO of Business Mauritius; and Dr. Nishaal Gooroochurn, Director and head of Strategic Planning at EDB. Private sector representatives from Rogers Group, the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurants in Mauritius (AHRIM), Eclosia Group, IBL Group, CIEL Group, and UNICITI Medine Group also attended the meeting. Ms. Joanne Manda, the SDG Investment Advisor from the UNDP African Finance Sector Hub, set the stage for discussion by elaborating on the necessary steps required to implement the investor map.
During the meeting, several insights were highlighted, including ownership from the Government of Mauritius and the private sector to utilize the investor map as a valuable tool for driving conversations around deal ideation and sustainable investment. Ms. Amanda Serumaga emphasized the importance of candid discussions on embedding sustainability into private sector strategies to optimize economic, social, and environmental impact, as well as shaping de-risking policy measures to facilitate deal flow.
There was consensus among the participants that the Government and private sector must collaborate to identify and drive areas of convergence to achieve national development priorities. Representatives agreed on the immediate need to establish an investment framework that creates an enabling environment for the private sector to contribute effectively to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mr. Ramkaloan stated the importance of a framework that systematically articulates the necessary policy space to stimulate the required investment, highlighting projects that directly align with the opportunities in the investor map, as well as those that, while not directly aligned, could still contribute to the goals or have no negative impact on them.
Mr. Philippe Espitalier-Noël added that as questions regarding sustainable development continue to evolve, partnerships must adapt as well. He emphasized that all businesses should incorporate a foundation of sustainability within themselves, with full facilitation and agility from the public sector.
The meeting served as a launchpad for a series of dialogue engagements planned for 2023.
