Mauritius and Regional Islands Join Forces to Promote Decent Work

A ministerial roundtable themed "Establishing Partnerships for Decent Work, Climate Resilience, Digital Transformation, and Artificial Intelligence in the Indian Ocean Sub-region" commenced on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, with the presence of the Minister of Labor and Industrial Relations, Reza Cassam Uteem, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute for Public Service and Innovation, located in the Côte-d'Or Technopole.

Several dignitaries attended this occasion, including: the Minister of Labor, Employment, and Public Service of the Republic of Madagascar, Mrs. Soatiana Bety Léonne Florent; the Minister of Women's Promotion, Solidarity, and Information of the Union of the Comoros, Mrs. Fatima Ahamada; the UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Mrs. Lisa Simrique Singh; the Director of the International Labor Organization's national office for Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, and Seychelles, Frederick Muia; and the Interim Director of the Indian Ocean Commission, Mrs. Gina Bonne.

In his opening speech, Reza Uteem emphasized the importance of organizing such regional dialogues to foster partnerships that better address common challenges. He welcomed the sharing of experiences, expertise, and perspectives on shared goals such as ensuring decent work, enhancing climate resilience, and leveraging artificial intelligence and digital transformation, which he believes will lead to concrete actions.

The Minister of Labor reiterated that ensuring decent working conditions is at the heart of his ministry's priorities, stressing that all workers, both local and foreign, should enjoy the same working conditions and benefits. He highlighted the need to integrate the informal sector so that affected operators can benefit from advantages such as social security and workplace safety.

Reza Uteem listed key challenges, including the aging population amidst a declining workforce, increasing reliance on immigrant labor to address worker shortages, and the need to improve labor mobility between the islands in the region.

As for Minister Soatiana Bety Léonne Florent, she stated that island nations share not only common vulnerabilities but also opportunities. She expressed hope that they would jointly develop ambitious partnership charters, identify priority action areas, and strengthen their cooperation to ensure that ecological, digital, and economic transitions become engines for creating decent jobs, social justice, and long-term progress for future generations.

According to Minister Fatima Ahamada, the roundtable should mark the transition from reflection to concrete action, emphasizing that collective efforts could transform current challenges into tangible opportunities for the respective populations of the participating countries. She also stressed the need to promote the inclusion of women and people with disabilities in social, economic, and digital transformation efforts.