Business updates

The Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) participated in the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) Mauritius & Seychelles Retreat, held from Tuesday 1 to Thursday 3 July 2025  at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa, Seychelles.

During the first day of the retreat, Dr Drishtysingh Ramdenee, Secretary General of the MCCI, intervened virtually in a panel discussion titled “Navigating the Upheaval and Financing for High-Income Country Seychelles and Upper-Middle Income Country Mauritius”, moderated by Mr. Joseph Rostand Olinga Biwole, IFAD Representative and Country Director for Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Dr Ramdenee highlighted the role of the private sector in mobilising sustainable finance, stating, “The private sector can play a key role in mobilising financing through well-structured public-private partnerships.”

He stressed the importance of a strong investment framework with targeted incentives to encourage private sector participation in industries such as sustainable tourism, aquaculture, and port infrastructure development.

He also pointed to the need for further public-private partnerships (PPPs) and improved institutional credit support to promote private-sector-led growth.

Other panellists included Mr Brian Commettant, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles, who discussed the role of central banks in climate and sustainable finance and the need for financial instruments like blue bonds and debt-for-climate swaps.

Mr Nassim Oulmane, Chief of Natural Resources, Green and Blue Economy at UNECA, emphasised regional coordination and unified advocacy to improve financing opportunities for SIDS.

Additionally, Ms Aissatou Diallo, Resident Representative of the IMF in Seychelles, presented IMF support programmes tailored for island economies and encouraged engagement with risk assessment frameworks.

His Excellency (H.E.) Henry Jardine, U.S. Ambassador to Mauritius and Seychelles, shared insights on U.S. funding mechanisms and efforts to build new economic partnerships aligned with current U.S. priorities.

Government representatives from both Mauritius and Seychelles were present, reflecting the regional commitment to reform global financial frameworks and enhance financing for sustainable development.