I call the hon. Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change. UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION – CLIMATE CHANGE OBLIGATIONS (4.17 p.m.) The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change (Mr R. Bhagwan): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish, with your permission, to make a Statement following the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Resolution welcoming the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change. On 25 July 2025, I made a statement in the House following the Advisory Opinion given by the International Court of Justice on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change to clarify the legal obligations of States in addressing global warming and climate change. The House will recall that the request for an Advisory Opinion was led by Vanuatu Island State following lengthy representations made by Pacific Islands law students. On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice delivered the landmark Advisory Opinion clarifying that protecting the climate is not an optional diplomacy and political option, but is a legal duty grounded in treaties, customary law and human rights. Thus, States which fail to fulfil their obligation risk legal responsibility and claims for repair. The Advisory Opinion was also supported by science-based temperature rise target of 1.5 degree centigrade as the agreed primary temperature goal under the Paris Agreement. To affirm the findings of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, Vanuatu, on behalf of other supporting States, including Mauritius, introduced a resolution to the UN General Assembly for adoption on Wednesday 20 May 2026. The Resolution had a resounding success with 141 votes in favour, only eight against and 28 abstentions. The UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution whereby it first welcomed the opinion and stressing on the fact that climate change is an unprecedented challenge, calls on States to act consistently with their obligations under the international law and the Paris Agreement, including implementation of measures to transitioning away from fossil fuels energy systems, and highlights that the UN General Assembly is determined to translate the Advisory Opinion into enhanced multilateral cooperation and accelerated climate action at all levels consistent with international law. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, accordingly, the Resolution establishes a follow-up mechanism to a report of the UN Secretary General on progress in 2027 while ensuring continued consideration of the General Assembly with a formal follow-up item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly in 2028. This Resolution is a powerful message for vulnerable nations such as Small Island Developing States which bear the brunt of climate change, although they are the least responsible for global warming. It is an affirmation that climate justice should not be a vain word as States have now recognised legal obligation to protect their people and future generations without restriction and discrimination. Moreover, it has given renewed trust in the multilateral system as Member States are preparing for the Climate COP 31 this year conceptualised as a COP of Implementation. The Resolution will significantly guide negotiations on key agenda items, including climate finance, loss, damage, just transitions, among others. Mauritius as a member of the Alliance of Small States, the African Group of Negotiators as well as the G77 and China will be guided by this Resolution in the preparation of its national position for the forthcoming COP 31. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank you for your attention.

The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness! (4.22 p.m.) MAURITIUS – EBOLA OUTBREAK – PREPAREDNESS PLAN

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I wish to make a statement on my Ministry's preparedness plan for Ebola. In view of the fact that on 16 May 2026, the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern. I wish to reassure the House and the population of my Ministry's preparedness to deal with this serious health threat. I wish to report that I have had a fruitful personal meeting with Dr. Tedros, Director General of WHO during my participation in the 79th World Health Assembly held in Geneva from 18 to 33 May 2026. In addition, members of my delegation and myself participated in several daily briefings held by the Director General personally and the WHO Regional Director of African Region, Professor Janabi, on the situation of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Both the Director General and the Regional Director stressed the need for preparedness, solidarity among nations and dissemination of accurate and updated information, particularly with respect to any suspected case of Ebola. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, Ebola is a severe, very often fatal disease in humans. It is caused by viruses including Ebola virus, Sudan virus and the Bundibugyo virus. The average case fatality rate is around 50%, although in past outbreaks it varied from 25 to 90% depending on the virus species, the context and the quality and timeliness of supportive care. Ebola is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorilla, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead, especially in the rain forest. Once introduced into human population, it spreads from person to person through direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes with blood or body fluids of infected persons or indirectly through contaminated materials such as bedding, clothing or needles or as a result of unsafe burial practices. The incubation period is usually between 2 to 21 days. A person is generally not infectious before the onset of symptoms. The clinical features include sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This may be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver functions and in some cases internal and external bleeding. Diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to the current situation, the outbreak concerns Bundibugyo virus disease, the most virulent form of Ebola disease. There is currently no vaccine against the disease. The information available indicates that as at 18 May 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo had reported 516 suspected cases and 131 suspected deaths, as well as 33 confirmed cases and four confirmed deaths. Uganda has reported two confirmed imported cases including one death. Overall, this represents 35 confirmed cases and five confirmed deaths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, a public health emergency of international concern is defined under the international health regulation as an extraordinary event which constitutes a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease and which may require coordinated international response. My Ministry has updated and activated its national preparedness plan for Ebola virus disease in May 2026, of which I am tabling a copy. The plan covers the Republic of Mauritius including Rodrigues and the outer islands, and is structured around preparedness, mitigation and recovery. It provides for response planning and coordination, control at ports of entry, surveillance of incoming passengers from affected countries, hospital preparedness, laboratory preparedness, passenger monitoring, contact tracing, risk communication and recovery activities. With regard to response planning and coordination, my Ministry has moved to strengthen coordination, surveillance and operational readiness. With regard to control at ports of entry, surveillance of incoming passengers from affected countries, at our point of entry, namely the airport and the seaport, procedures for health profiling of incoming passengers have been reinforced. At the airport, these include verification of flight declaration forms, thermal screening, scrutiny of passport and health declaration forms and assessment of possible exposure in affected countries. At the port, ships are boarded by the public health and food safety inspectors, maritime declarations are verified, health declaration forms are collected before immigration procedures. Passengers from high-risk countries are being followed up by the relevant regional health officers with initial contact within 24 hours, daily telephone contact, routine visits and further monitoring over the follow-up period. The plan also provides clear protocol for suspected cases detected on board an aircraft or ship. With regard to hospital preparedness, any suspected case would be separated, assessed by a medical team wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and transferred through a dedicated pathway to our isolation facility at Souillac Hospital with dedicated isolation bays and separate quarantine bays, contacts would be identified, assessed and followed up. In the case of a ship with one or more suspected cases, the vessel will be directed to an isolated quay with transfer of suspected cases to the Souillac Hospital and assessment of close contact. Similarly, should there be any suspected cases from private sector, the case would be transferred according to an established protocol to Souillac Hospital. Allow me, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to remind the House that it was under the Labour Government that around 2013 to 2014, following an outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, that was for the first time an isolation facility was set up at Souillac Hospital. This facility was validated by WHO for isolation of Ebola cases but can also be used for isolation of other infectious diseases. Staffing arrangement, buffer stock of personal protective equipment, stockpiling of essential medicines, intravenous fluids, blood products, medical equipment and consumables and training of staff in case of recognition, isolation procedures, infection prevention and control, personal protective equipment use, laboratory procedures, waste management and burial procedures have been looked into and addressed. My Ministry has also initiated actions to ensure that the relevant protocols are available and operational. This includes isolation, infection prevention control, laboratory testing, clinical management, linen and laundry services, management of clinical waste, handling of dead bodies, environmental cleaning, disinfection of transport vehicles and guidance for aircraft cabin crew. With regard to laboratory preparedness, laboratory testing protocols have been elaborated recognising high biohazard risk posed by specimen from suspected cases, hence requiring safe handling, strict infection prevention and control and appropriate sample transport procedures. With regard to contact tracing, contacts are to be identified through interviews, hospital records and other reliable sources. Follow-up is to be conducted for 21 days following exposure with quarantine measures applied according to level of risk. From 17 May 2026 to 24 May 2026, a total of 30 passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and 45 passengers arriving from Uganda are under active 21-day public health surveillance. To date, follow-up has been uneventful. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to risk communication, Ebola outbreaks are not managed only with ambulances and hospital beds but also with accurate information, public trust and rapid correction of rumours regarding the alleged exposure of Mauritian nationals abroad to a patient with Ebola. Yesterday, my Ministry promptly informed the population that there has been up to date no known case of any Mauritian national locally or abroad who has been exposed to any patient. I make an appeal to the public and health professionals to immediately inform my Ministry of any suspected case of Ebola for us firstly to confirm the veracity of the information and to take actions accordingly. A responsible citizen does not rush to the press to create sensation, spread alarm or provoke panic among people. The irresponsible and unethical spreading of rumour regarding alleged Ebola cases is not only reckless; it is unpatriotic. It risks pairing unnecessary fear, damaging public confidence, harming our tourism industry and affecting the economy of our country. My Ministry will provide press releases, targeted radio and television programmes, counselling of travellers, distribution of fact sheets to public and private doctors, information materials for airport and port staff, hotlines, regular situation reports and community engagement. The key message is this: Mauritius has a national updated preparedness plan, actions initiated and my ministry is strengthening operational readiness in line with WHO guidance and obligations under international health regulation. Our objective is clear: early detection, rapid isolation, safe management, effective contact tracing, protection of health workers and prevention of any local transmission and putting a rapid halt to irresponsible spreading of rumours. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to say to the House and the public that the risk of Ebola spreading widely in Mauritius remains extremely low or non-existent. Unlike COVID-19, Ebola is not primarily airborne and unlike Chikungunya or Dengue, it is not spread by mosquitoes. It is transmitted mainly through direct contact with body fluids of an infected person. Let me reassure the House and the population at large. My Ministry supported by experienced professionals who have already helped the country to successfully manage H1N1, Chikungunya, Dengue and the first outbreak of COVID-19 in the past. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in matters of public health, credibility matters, experience matters, integrity matters. We will continue to act calmly, firmly and responsibly to protect the population. I thank you.

Thank you. The hon. Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations! (4.32 p.m.) INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE – RIGHT TO STRIKE – ADVISORY OPINION

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I wish to make a statement in connection with the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice delivered on 21 May 2026 on the issue of whether the right to strike of workers and their organisations is protected under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention 1948, Convention No. 87. 18 member States of the International Labour Organisation, including Mauritius, five international labour organisations, namely ILO, the International Trade Union Confederation, the International Organisation of Employers, the International Cooperative Alliance, and Business Africa made oral statement during the advisory proceedings. In my oral statement before the International Court of Justice, I spoke about the evolution of the right to strike and freedom of association in Mauritius, and reaffirmed Mauritius' stand that the right to strike was protected under the Convention, but it was a qualified right. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, following our participation in the advisory proceedings, Mauritius was commended by the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation, which represents over 18 million workers from over 52 African countries. In a correspondence dated 20 October last year, the General Secretary, ITUC Africa, congratulated Mauritius for the country's, and I quote – “Courageous and principled stand before the ICJ, where clear and compelling arguments were made in defence of the right to strike as an integral component of freedom of association under ILO Convention 87.” The ITUC Africa described this Government's position as, and I quote – “Unambiguous, principled and anchored in deep understanding of democracy and justice.” Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in its Advisory Opinion on the Right to Strike under the ILO Convention 87, the International Court of Justice by 10 votes to four was of the opinion that the right to strike of workers and their organisation was protected under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention of 1948. This Advisory Opinion is of particular significance to Mauritius. Section 13 of our Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly and of association. To a large extent, Section 13 of our Constitution is similar to Convention 87, as both protect the rights of persons to form or belong to Trade Unions for the protection of their interests. Just like Convention 87, Section 13 of our Constitution does not expressly provide for a right to strike but in the light of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, it can be safely inferred that the right to strike in Mauritius is protected under Section 13 of our Constitution. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this ruling represents an important milestone for Trade Unions and workers across the world, including Mauritius, who have historically fought for the recognition and protection of workers' collective rights, including right to strike for the protection of their interests. Thank you.

The hon. Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection! (4.36 p.m.) PETROLEUM PRODUCTS – VAT COLLECTION – MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I would like to make a Statement on VAT collection on petroleum products. Since the onset of the conflict in the Middle East in March 2026, compounded with the disruption of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, we have witnessed significant volatility and sustained increases in global crude oil and refined petroleum prices, particularly for Mogas and gas oil. Reports from the World Bank, Reuters and the US Energy Information Administration have confirmed that the ongoing conflict has not only caused one of the largest oil supply shocks in recent decades, but also warned that oil markets are likely to remain under pressure for an extended period of time in the foreseeable future. As a fully import-dependent economy for petroleum products, Mauritius has inevitably been affected by these international market developments. Nevertheless, this Government has consciously refrained from passing on the full extent of the increase in international oil prices to consumers. This policy decision has been taken in order to cushion households, protect purchasing power, contain inflationary pressures and safeguard economic activities across the country. Had the full increase in procurement costs been transferred directly to pump prices, consumers and businesses alike would have faced significantly higher transportation and living costs. For instance, the calculated prices of Mogas and gas oil have, as at 25 May 2026, increased by 22.87% and 11.09% respectively. Accordingly, the retail prices of Mogas should have been Rs78.95 cents per litre, while that of gas oil, should have been Rs79.50 cents per litre. Government, however, did not pass on these increases with the consequence that within the three months period since the outbreak of this crisis, the deficit of the Price Stabilisation Account has increased by more than Rs2 billion, reaching a deficit of Rs3.53 billion today, compared to a deficit of Rs1.5 billion on 28 February 2026. In this context, it is important to underline that revenues collected through VAT on the sales of Mogas and gas oil contribute directly to the financing of the extensive social and welfare measures provided by the State in Mauritius. Unlike many developing countries, Mauritius maintains a broad welfare system which ensures universal or highly subsidised access to essential public services and social protection mechanisms such as free healthcare, free education from primary up to tertiary level, universal pensions for senior citizens, social aid schemes for vulnerable households, subsidised public transport for students and elderly persons, and numerous support mechanisms aimed at protecting lower and middle-income families. When compared to several African countries, Mauritius offers considerably broader and more universal welfare framework. In South Africa, while social grants and pensions are extensive, healthcare and education system remain uneven and highly dependent on income level. In Kenya and Ghana, access to healthcare and social protection is comparatively more limited with a larger reliance on contributory insurance schemes and private expenditure. Namibia provides certain pension and social assistance programs, but its welfare coverage remains narrower in scope than that of Mauritius. Importantly, despite these countries capping their VAT collections on petroleum products, most of them have nonetheless increased their retail prices for these products as per the global prices, which Mauritius has not done. The prices of both Mogas and gas oil in Kenya, Namibia and South Africa are higher than the prices in Mauritius. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Mauritian social model therefore requires substantial and sustained public financing. Taxes and VAT revenues collected across the economy, including on petroleum products, constitute an essential source of funding which enables Government to maintain free and subsidised services for the benefit of the population as a whole. Consequently, the VAT collected on Mogas and gas oil should not be viewed solely as a fiscal measure, but also as a contribution towards preserving the country's social safety net, supporting vulnerable groups and maintaining the quality of life and social stability enjoyed in Mauritius. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.