Ram Etwareea: From the G20 to the Verandas of Grand-Baie

Ram Etwareea, a journalist and globetrotter, has met figures like Mandela, Obama, and Arafat. At 68, the deputy from district no. 6 (Grand-Baie/Poudre-d’Or) aims to use his experience for the benefit of his country.

Amidst streets lined with flamboyant trees, a discreet yet determined figure walks through the neighborhoods of constituency no. 6. Ram Etwareea, at 68, has traded the television studios and conference rooms of the G20, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations for the alleyways of Poudre-d’Or, Goodlands, and Grand-Baie, participating in grassroots meetings under the verandas. A renowned international journalist, he was a candidate of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) defeated in 1983 before being elected in November 2024. He returns today with a simple ambition: to share what he has learned abroad.

In 1983, Ram Etwareea first ventured into politics under the MMM banner. At 25, he hoped to contribute to a fairer, more open Mauritius. His electoral defeat was not a failure. "It was a life lesson," he reflects today, at peace with his past.

The young activist then devoted himself to journalism. At Nouveau Militant, he honed his craft, sharpening his writing and critical perspective on the world. The newspaper became his weapon of choice: to inform, to defend social justice, to give a voice to the voiceless.

In 1986, a scholarship took him to Europe. Ram Etwareea flew to Switzerland, undertaking a training internship at L’Impartial in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1989, he co-founded InfoSud, a news agency specializing in international relations. By 1999, he joined the editorial team at Le Temps in Geneva. For nearly 30 years, he traveled the world, covering conflict zones in Africa and Asia and participating in major international conferences.

G20, UN summits, Bretton Woods: he was there, microphone and notepad in hand, questioning heads of state and politicians, observing the power dynamics behind the scenes. "I had the privilege of being in the same rooms as Yasser Arafat, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, and many others. These moments are forever etched in my memory," he shares, his eyes sparkling.

Yet, the encounter that left the deepest impression on him was with Xi Jinping: "His vision for transforming China, modernizing its economy while asserting its cultural identity, serves as an example of leadership that inspires me."

In December 2023, after putting away microphones and cameras, he returned permanently to Mauritius. "I brought back eight suitcases, but more importantly, I returned with invaluable baggage: experience, commitment, values, and a desire to act."

Barely back, he reconnected with the MMM, with whom he had always kept in touch. Then a call came: Paul Bérenger, his mentor, urged him: "Ram, step up to the front." He was offered the MMM's electoral ticket for constituency no. 6, which he accepted without hesitation.

Since then, he has been walking the ground with diligence and humility. His goal is to write a new chapter for Mauritius alongside the Alliance of Change. "We need a fresh start. We need leadership that is service-oriented, not ego-driven." Far from the stereotype of a calculating politician, Ram Etwareea exudes a warmth that is appreciated by the residents of his constituency. "He doesn’t just come to see you; he comes to understand you," shares a resident of Petit-Raffray.

His approach is straightforward: dialogue, respect, transparency. He doesn’t promise miraculous solutions. Instead, he speaks about education, access to information, and local entrepreneurship. He wants the youth to be able to dream here, in their own home. And to share: "I have a responsibility to share everything I have learned in my life. Otherwise, this experience will be lost."

When he’s not out in the field, Ram Etwareea dedicates time to his other passions. He enjoys walking, sometimes for hours through sugarcane fields, reading – political essays, historical novels, biographies – and music, ranging from Indian Sufi to Afghan tunes, as well as Turkish and Pakistani melodies.

He also adores cooking above all. "If I weren’t a journalist and politician, I would have been a chef." He laughs, but he’s serious. His favorite dish is briani. For his friends, he loves to prepare traditional Mauritian dishes – kari zak, vindaye poisson – and recipes learned abroad, like mushroom risotto or Thai-style curry chicken.

In his kitchen as in politics, he blends flavors, influences, and people, bringing them together around one table. His message remains clear: to move forward through sharing, sincerity, and example. A Mauritius where both the young and the old find their place, where progress respects fundamental values.