Press Releases

U.S. Government Promotes Development of Land-Based Ocean Industry in Mauritius

September 28, 2007

The U.S. Ambassador Cesar B. Cabrera and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development The Honorable Ramakrishna Sithanen signed a Grant Agreement under the terms of which the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will provide $375,000 (approximately Rs 12 million) to the Board of Investment for technical assistance to the Land Based Ocean Industry (LBOI) project.

The Government of Mauritius has prioritized the diversification of the country’s economy, which is currently dependent on textiles, sugar and tourism.  The development of an LBOI in Mauritius has been proposed as a means of furthering this objective.  LBOI involves drawing up large quantities of sea water from great depths to be used for a number of land-based applications, either in its original condition or after desalination.  The rationale for exploiting the deep sea water around Mauritius lies in the exceptional properties of the water.  It is highly pure, free of pollutants and pathogens, rich in important minerals and very cold.  Potential downstream applications for the water include bottled water and aquaculture.

The USTDA grant will support the emergence of an LBOI in Mauritius by assisting the government in establishing the necessary regulatory framework for the private sector to operate.  Moreover, the grant will fund the development of an action plan that will address infrastructure issues that could otherwise serve as a constraint on the development of an LBOI in Mauritius. 

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.  The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair, open trading environment.  USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.