Madam Speaker, I will seek your indulgence, my reply will be quite long. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East affecting the entire region. My Ministry has been closely monitoring the situation through our diplomatic missions particularly our Embassy in Riyadh and our Consulate in Dubai. Continuous coordination has been maintained with host countries and Mauritian diaspora networks to ensure timely assistance and information sharing. My Ministry has issued two alert notices since the start of the conflict namely on 28 February and 09 March 2026 cautioning Mauritian nationals to refrain from travelling to the Middle East and informing them of the hotline established at the level of the Ministry and our Missons in both Riyadh and Dubai. Additionally, we issued two press statements on 03 and 14 March 2026, respectively, expressing concerns on the loss of lives, destruction of critical economic infrastructures and the complete shutdown of air traffic. We also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of talks between the concerned parties for global peace and stability. Madam Speaker, as regards the number of Mauritian nationals currently present in the affected regions based on the latest information available from our embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Dubai, there are several hundreds of Mauritian nationals residing across the gulf region. In the United Arab Emirates alone, more than 300 Mauritian nationals who were temporarily stranded following the outbreak of the conflict of 28 February 2026 and the resulting flight disruptions, have since been assisted in returning safely to Mauritius through commercial flights, notably those operated by Emirates. Additionally, several hundreds of Mauritian nationals continue to reside and work in the UAE mainly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to official figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arabs Emirates, as of March 2026, there were approximately 2148 Mauritians living in the UAE. The current number of visitors from Mauritius in the UAE stand at 204. The number of departures of our nationals from the UAE to Mauritius, from 28 February 2026 to date is 2299. Our embassy in Riyadh was contacted by Mauritian nationals from the following cities and countries – 1. Riyadh – 58; 2. Jeddah – 38; 3. Madina – 15; 4. Dammam Tabuk & Buraidah – 8; 5. Qatar – 89; 6. Bahrain – 20; 7. Kuwait – 7, and 8. Oman – 4 Through the coordinated efforts of my Ministry and our diplomatic missions, contact has been established with the vast majority of these nationals via direct outreach, diaspora networks and dedicated communications platforms. The embassy in Riyadh has issued an advisory note, activated hotline services and maintained active engagement through WhatsApp groups and other communication channels. Madam Speaker, at this stage, no confirmed report of harm to Mauritian nationals have been brought to the attention of the Ministry. Host countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia have implemented precautionary measures to ensure public safety including dissemination of safety alerts, promotion of remote working arrangements and temporary closure of educational institutions. Madam Speaker, with respect to the nature of assistance requested, a limited number of Mauritian nationals have sought support mainly in relation to consular guidance, travel arrangements and precautionary advice. In some cases, our nationals, on holidays in the region, expressed concerns regarding their safety and opted to return to Mauritius at their own expense. The Ministry, through its diplomatic missions, has responded promptly and effectively by facilitating the repatriation of Mauritian nationals including those stranded in the UAE through coordination with airlines and local authorities, establishing dedicated hotline numbers and email channels to respond to consular queries and emergency requests, providing real-time information and regular safety advisories to Mauritian nationals across the regions, advising on precautionary measures and safe movement including evacuation options where necessary, maintaining continuous communication with diaspora groups to monitor their well-being and provide psychological and technical support where required, liaising with host governments including the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate transit arrangements, notably enabling Mauritian nationals from the Gulf region to access connecting flights from Jeddah to Mauritius where regular flights remained operational. It is also worth noting that thanks to the personal intervention of the hon. Prime Minister with Senior Vice President of Emirates Airlines, Mauritius was amongst the first countries to initiate repatriation assistance for its nationals following the escalation of the situation on 28 February 2026. Madam Speaker, the government remains on high alert and fully mobilised. We are firmly committed to safeguarding the interest, safety and well-being of Mauritian citizens abroad. Our diplomatic missions continue to monitor developments closely, maintain constant communication with our nationals and stand ready to extend any further assistance as may be required including evacuation support should the situation so warrant. Mauritian nationals in the Middle East regions are being continuously advised to remain vigilant, adhere to local authority guidance and stay in close contact with our diplomatic missions. I wish to assure the House that the safety and well-being of Mauritian citizens abroad remain a top priority of his government. Thank you.

Thank you very much, hon. Minister. Hon. Etwareea, are you okay? Yes, hon. A. Duval! MANUAL GRADE WORKERS – RECRUITMENT – TERMS & CONDITIONS