The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has donated 35 tons of dates to the Republic of Mauritius, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre. The donation ceremony was held, this afternoon, at the Agricultural Marketing Board, in Moka, and was preceded by a press conference during which the Mauritian Government expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this commendable gesture.
The valuable contribution and support of the Ambassador of the Republic of Mauritius to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Showkutally Soodhun, in facilitating the donation process of dates to Mauritius, was also lauded by the different personalities present on that occasion.
In fact, several Ministers attended the event namely, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government, Disaster and Risk Management, Dr Mohammad Anwar Husnoo; the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo; the Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo; the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck; and the Vice Consul General of the Royal Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Mauritius, Mr Ziyad Sulaiman Bin Hamad.
In his address, Vice-Prime Minister Husnoo expressed gratitude to King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre for the generous donation while highlighting that this act symbolises the close bilateral ties that bind the two countries. This initiative, he said, is much meaningful for the Muslim community as dates is related to the Islamic tradition and are used at the time of breaking the fast.
For their part, Minister Ganoo and Minister Jeewa-Daureeawoo joined the Vice Prime Minister to convey their heartfelt appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued assistance towards Mauritius. Once again, this donation marks the continuation of humanitarian support and assistance by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Mauritius and testifies of the longstanding bilateral relationship that exists between Mauritius and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, they added.
Furthermore, Minister Ganoo remarked that due to ongoing disruptions in international freights, the arrival of dates was delayed and at present, 10 tons of dates have reached Mauritius with an additional 25 tons expected soon. Dates, he underlined, not only have a traditional Islamic value but comprise nutritious values as well and it is a great satisfaction to note that our Mauritian population will be benefitting from these thanks to this donation.
The Minister also dwelt on the invaluable help that the Republic of Mauritius has benefitted from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the different spheres of development and in the realisation of several projects.
Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo, for her part, highlighted that this humanitarian gesture will further solidify the longstanding bilateral relationships between Mauritius and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The presence of several Ministers today for this event is further evidence of the willingness of our country to strengthen the existing relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Minister pointed out.
As for Minister Teeluck, he reassured that all stakeholders will do their utmost best to ensure that the distribution of these dates is done fairly and equitably across all the island.
This donation exercise, he underscored, has been ongoing for the past 15 years and for the year 2023, Mauritius was to receive 25 tons of dates, but the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been more generous ans sent 10 additional tons to the island.
The Minister also observed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is helping Mauritius in several other ways, in particular as regards the « Hajj », the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. « As at now, the visas obtained has reached 1500 and we are requesting for 500 additional visas from Saudi Arabia, » he pointed out.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He indicated that everything is on track as regards the organising process of the pilgrimage specifically in terms of fees, air tickets, among others, and regular follow ups are being carried out as per the existing database at the Islamic Cultural Centre. « All negotiations are going smoothly and Ambassador Soodhun is liaising directly with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure that things go well, » Mr Teeluck stated.
The Vice Consul General, for his part, indicated that this donation is a gift from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Mauritius, which is part of what the Kingdom offers to brotherly and friendly countries. « This is a yearly initiative that started some 15 years ago, and is testimony to the love and brotherly ties that the two countries share, » he emphasised.
