This week in Mauritius, several noteworthy events unfolded. The Bank of Mauritius once again stepped into the foreign exchange market. On Wednesday, October 11, they announced that they had sold 25 million US dollars at a rate of Rs 44.25 per dollar, repeating a similar action from October 4 when they also sold $25 million at the same rate. Over the course of September, the Bank of Mauritius had intervened by selling a total of $100 million.
21st anniversary of Rodrigues autonomous status
Thursday marked the 21st anniversary of Rodrigues' autonomy, a status the island has enjoyed since October 12, 2002. To celebrate this occasion, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth attended the official celebrations at the Jean Paul II Stadium in La Ferme.
The BoM steps in on the foreign market exchange
The Bank of Mauritius (BoM) stepped in again on the foreign exchange market on Wednesday, October 11. In a press release, the BoM disclosed that it had sold $25 million at a rate of Rs 44.25 per US dollar. Just a week prior, on October 4, the Central Bank had also sold $25 million at the same rate. Throughout September, the BoM had intervened by selling a total of $100 million.
Mauritius tackles neonatal deaths
A workshop held on Monday, October 9, highlighted the concerning issue of neonatal deaths. Despite previous preventive measures, maternal, perinatal, and neonatal deaths continue to occur in Mauritian society. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 67 neonatal deaths, and data from the Ministry's Records Office indicates 17 infant deaths in hospitals during the same period. A new program was announced to closely monitor and address these deaths, aiming to identify the root causes, including issues like delays in healthcare access, lack of emergency obstetric care, and a shortage of qualified personnel for deliveries.
A group of Mauritians stuck in Israel
In a different situation, a group of Mauritian citizens found themselves stranded in Bethlehem, Israel, due to the suspension of international flights resulting from a state of emergency. This group mainly consists of 36 members from the St-Hélène parish in Curepipe, who were on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, led by Father Gérard Mongelard. Father Mongelard reported that the parishioners were safe and staying in a Bethlehem hotel. Originally scheduled to fly to Turkey and then back to Mauritius, their plans were disrupted as many airlines had canceled flights to Tel Aviv during the emergency. The Mauritian Consulate in Tel Aviv is maintaining contact with the group, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, along with the Mauritian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, and the Mauritian Consulate in Tel Aviv, are closely monitoring the situation.
