Madam Speaker, it may be recalled that in 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a framework built around 17 Sustainable Development Goals designed to drive economic, social and environmental progress. Mauritius is fully committed to its global agenda and continues to implement it through a coordinated national approach. To ensure coherence across Government, the Sustainable Development Unit was established within the Ministry of

35 Foreign Affairs in January 2021. The Unit oversees interministerial coordination through designated SDG focal points, supports national reporting processes and guides the monitoring of timelines and commitments. In parallel, Madam Speaker, Statistics Mauritius has developed a comprehensive national SDG database which serves as a single publicly accessible platform for indicators and strengthens the foundations of evidence-based policy making. Mauritius presented its first voluntary national review in 2019 and its second in July 2024 before the High-Level Political Forum in New York. The 2024 review, inter alia, identified challenges, notably the need to expand access to grants and concessional financing for climate action and call for stronger international partnerships. According to the 2025 Sustainable Development Report, Mauritius achieved an SDG Index Score of 70.3, well above the regional average and ranked 76 out of 167 countries. Significant progress has been made in poverty eradication, innovation, infrastructure development, financial inclusion and digital connectivity. A positive spill-over score of 75.13 further demonstrates that Mauritius contributes more positive than negative impacts to global sustainable development. To accelerate implementation, Mauritius and the United Nations signed the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024-2028, the joint steering committee of the SDCF co-chaired by myself and the UN President Coordinator ensures oversight and alignment with national priorities. Its three thematic results groups, people, prosperity and planet are fully aligned with the Government Programme 2025-2029. The meeting of the SDFC joint steering committee held in October 2025, was an opportunity to take stock of progress made, as well as providing guidance to the results groups. Financing remains at the heart of the SDG implementation. While domestic resources form the backbone of development efforts, we continue to mobilise international partnerships. Global initiatives including the Sevilla Commitment and the Doha Political Declaration reinforce international commitments to support a climate action, sustainable finance and poverty reduction. Mauritius is also working with the UN Economic Commission for Africa to adopt the integrated planning and reporting toolkit which align national strategies with the SDGs and Agenda 2063, strengthen coordination and facilitate automated reporting. As regards the second part of the question, my Ministry also recognises the Interparliamentary Union’s call for parliaments to institutionalise oversight of the 2030

36 Agenda. Establishing an SDG Committee within the National Assembly would reflect global best practice and reinforce accountability. Accordingly, we propose initiating consultations to explore its establishment according to the Standing Orders and of course, subject to the consent of the Speaker.

Yes, I was thinking this would be more for me than for the Minister…

Yes, of course.

…but it is very good. Maybe you should remember that we are already dealing with SDG 5 in the Gender Caucus.

Okay.

Yes, this is why you have the Gender Caucus.

Of course, but it is a tall order, Mr François. We hear you. Okay, now next question is hon. Beejan. Yes? CONSTITUENCY NO. 6 – OUTDOOR CHILDREN PLAYGROUNDS – MAINTENANCE & SAFETY